Babaganooshed

This was inspired by a meal I had at a Turkish restauraunt of shaved lamb over mashed smoked eggplant, topped with a rich tomato sauce.

So, when I was given a whole tub of homemade babaganoosh by an Egyptian friend of mine, I knew exactly what to do, and damnit was it good.

I mixed some leftover ground chicken that I had with some thyme, salt and pepper, made it into a patty, grilled it up and served it over a pile of the warmed-up babaganoosh and fried pickles. Some sauted zuchini and fennel on the side, and I had myself a meal.

What made it truly epic though, was the sprinkling of summac - an herb commonly used in the Near East - that my parents brought me home from Istanbul.

Chicken Burger ali Babaanoosh

- 1/3 lm ground chicken

- ground thyme, salt, pepper

- babaganoosh

- 1 large mediteranean pickle

- 1/3 zuchini

- 1 stalk fennel

- 1/3 sweet onion

- summac

Mix thyme, salt and pepper into chicken. Form into a patty and grill. Meanwhile saute onions until soft, then throw in the zuchini and fennel with a splash of white wine, and heat up the babaganoosh. Slice the pickle into thin sheets and fry, then spoon the babaganoosh onto a plate, top with fried pickles, then the chicken burger, and sprinkle with summac. Enjoy with the zuchini and fennel on the side, and enjoy and enjoy.

I wish I could eat this every night.