Recipe: Bread, baba ganoush and taramasalata

Serves 4

A selection of warmed breads, sliced
A dish of olives
A dish of best quality olive oil

Baba ganoush
2 eggplants
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup basil leaves
Juice of two lemons
150ml tahini
1 tsp ground cumin
Olive oil
Salt

Taramasalata
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
150g smoked fish roe
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small onion, grated - approximately 1 Tbs
1 egg yolk
3 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Baba ganoush
1 To make the baba ganoush - grill or barbecue the eggplants until the skin has blackened. Place in a sealed paper bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap and let steam so the skin is easier to peel.

2 When cool, peel the skin and squeeze the juice out of each eggplant. Place the eggplant in a food processor.

3 Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Season to taste.

Taramasalata
1 To make the taramasalata - soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until soft.

2 Remove the skin from the roe and discard.

3 Place the soaked breadcrumbs into a food processor with the roe, garlic, onion, egg yolk, lemon juice, and olive oil.

4 Pulse until combined but not entirely smooth, for a bit of texture. Season to taste.