Kashke Bademjan

This is a dish I made while I was trying my hand at some Iranian recipes. That is the focus of our October #EattheWorld and I realized just how much I love their cuisine.

I picked up a bunch of graffiti eggplants, pink Italian garlic, and shallots from Borha Farms at the farmers' market on Friday. Then a friend gave D some peppers and other veggies while he was cat-sitting for them. I have tried Lebanese Baba Ghanoush and Greek Melitzanosalata, so I was excited to try the Iranian version. And now I had everything I needed to make it.

Ingredients

Kashk is traditionally used in this dish. Kashk is a fermented by-product from cheese-making. Strongly flavored, it is like a liquid feta and is used extensively in Persian cuisine. I couldn't find any, so I used a Swiss-style yogurt that I picked up at the farmers' market from Schoch Dairy and Creamery.

• olive oil

• 3 heads of pink garlic, top sliced off

• 2 shallots, peeled and halved

• 5 to 6 graffiti eggplant, vents sliced into the sides

• a variety of peppers

• 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream

• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 Tablespoon fresh mint leaves

• pinch of saffron threads

• salt and pepper to taste

• Also needed: pita or other breads for serving

Procedure

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Rub olive oil over the outside of all the eggplants. Drizzle olive oil over the rest of the veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 35 minutes. The vegetables should be beginning to caramelize. If they are ready, but the eggplants aren't quite finished, remove the veggies and return the sheet to the oven. Once the eggplant is softened and silky, remove them from the oven as well.

Once you are able to handle the veggies, squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the bowl of a food processor or into a blender. Add the caramelized peppers and shallots. Finally remove the skin of the eggplant and put the meat (or pulp) into the blender.

Spoon in the yogurt, lemon juice, saffron, and mint. Process until smooth. Add olive oil a little bit at a time, if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon the dip into a small bowl. Serve with pita.

Stay tuned for more recipes from Iran ahead of the Eat the World posting day.