So the picture isn't great for showing you details of the food, but you get the idea.....
For those of you that live her in Korea, you will need to get your friends in the states to send you tahini to make the hummus. If I am incorrect, and anyone reading this knows where to get tahini here, PLEASE TELL ME!! I am willing to drive, take the subway, bus or cab! :)
HUMMUS
***From The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (You will start to see a pattern here)
***Can be made in advance & last weeks in the refrigerator.
4 garlic cloves
2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
8 dashes hot sauce
Turn on the food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Roasted Eggplant Spread
***Can you guess where I got this recipe? That is right, Barefoot Contessa Cookbook! I adapted just a little.
This roasted eggplant spread is divine! I have had this on my list to make for months, I am so mad I waited so long to make it! You can server this warm or cold, it is very good both ways, my preference is warm, however I served it cold/room temperature at the reception. I could not stop eating this, I was afraid I would have to make more even though I had already made a double batch. You can make this in advance & store in an airtight container in the refrigerator – I made it 2 days prior to serving it.
2 medium eggplants, peeled
3 red bell peppers seeded and chopped
1 red onion, peeled
5-6 garlic cloves
5 TBLS olive oil
Kosher salt (however much you like - maybe 2 tsp?)
Fresh ground black pepper (however much you like - maybe 1 1/2 tsp?)
2 TBL tomato paste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the eggplant, peppers & onions into 1 inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, & salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet, roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly. Place vegetables in a food processor, add the tomato paste and pulse till; blended well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Semi-Homemade Pita Chips
For these I bought flat pita bread, brushed the pita with olive oil, sprinkled garlic salt on top of the olive oil, cut the bread into 8 triangles and baked at 400 degrees F for about 4 minutes on each side. Voila...it's that easy. Store them in a ziplock bag!
You can get creative with your pita chips....instead of garlic salt, you could do a little cayenne pepper, or basil, or a greek seasoning...you get the idea.