Welcome to moutabal. 

I first learned about moutabal while enjoying some appetizers at Range Life restaurant in the Livermore Valley. This is a fantastic farm-to-table restaurant that has high-quality food with a friendly, down-to-earth staff all set in an historic building constructed in 1875 (supposedly it was a horse stable for the horses that were used to pull the wagons of freight off of the nearby railroad).

Moutabal is a Middle Eastern eggplant dip and it can be served with pita chips, vegetable slices. or anything else you might serve with a dip. It is similar to baba ganoush. But moutabal uses tahini and yogurt (or labneh) to make it more creamy. But it still retains a lot of the eggplant flavor.

What I liked about the Range Life moutabal was how Chef Bill Niles topped his moutabal with summer fruit. Both times he topped it with a mixture of fresh pluots and heirloom tomato chunks. It was topped with a generous sprinkle of toasted sumac and a drizzle of olive oil. We loved the interaction of the sweet summer fruit with the eggplant flavor. 

Moutabal as served at Range Life. 

We had an upcoming dinner with a group of friends and I was in charge of bringing an appetizer. The theme of the dinner was "Summer Favorites" so realized I could try to replicate this appetizer and feature fresh, ripe summer fruit as Chef Niles did. 

I printed out a number of recipes and watched a lot of YouTube videos. Early attempts using a food processor made the dip almost like a hummus. Then I found some recipes that skipped the food processor and just used finely chopped eggplant. This more faithfully replicated what I tasted at the restaurant. 

Your summer fruit topping can be whatever you have or have access to. Plums, pluots, tomatoes. Be creative.

A key step in making the moutabal is giving the dip time to let the flavors marry. We had it freshly made and also some the next day and the next day version was decidedly better. In fact, this will keep in the fridge for around 5 days. 

For tahini, I like the Joya brand but Trader Joe's has it also. You don't need to refrigerate it once it's opened but it does separate. So start mixing it up days before making it and do your best to avoid creating chunks of unmixed tahini.  

Grilled eggplant cooling

Tahini, yogurt, salt, garlic, and lemon juice

Chopped eggplant

Moutabal with Summer Fruit

Ingredients:

• Eggplant - 2 large globe 
• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced
• Tahini - 3 tablespoons
• Yogurt - 4 tablespoons whole Greek, plain
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Lemon juice - from 1/2 lemon
• Olive oil - drizzles
• Cured Sumac - to garnish
• Pluots - chopped slices or chunks
• Heirloom tomatoes - chopped slices or chunks

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat a gas grill to 425-450°. If using an oven, pre-heat to 450°.
2. Wash and dry the eggplant.
3. Coat each eggplant with a light coating of olive oil rubbing the oil around the entire eggplant. 
4. Pierce the eggplant with a fork about 6 times in various locations. This will allow the steam to escape while cooking. 
5. Place the eggplant directly on the grill and close the cover. If using an oven, place the eggplant on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Every 15 minutes use tongs to turn the eggplant. For the gas grill, you want to see some blackening on the skin. 
6. When cooked, remove the eggplant from the grill and place them on a sheet pan. Using tongs and a knife to cut a slit from near the top to the bottom. Use the tools to open up the eggplant and let them cool for about 20-30 minutes. The open eggplant will leak some water content. I used a perforated tray and let them cool on the tray in the sink.
   
   
   
7. When cool enough to touch, use a teaspoon to scoop out the eggplant flesh. Place the flesh in a colander and allow it to drain its liquid for 5-10 minutes. 
8. Place the eggplant flesh on a large cutting board and use a large knife to finely cut in all directions. Chop until you get a chunky puree. 
9. Place the chopped eggplant in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and garlic. Use a fork to mix all ingredients and break up any remaining chunks. 
10. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and salt to taste. 

Wine pairing: Crisp whites like an Albariño or Sauvignon Blanc or a dry, medium-bodied Provence-style rosé.

Click here for the PBS "Check Please, Bay Area Review of the restaurant.

Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang Shrimp is originally a Sichuan street food that is more often prepared with chicken. It has been popularized by the Bonefish Grill chain of restaurants. The restaurant version (an appetizer) is Bang Bang Shrimp but it's deep-fried. I've never been in a Bonefish Grill but I discovered the dish through Blue Apron and it's cooked in a skillet instead of deep-frying. I've adapted the Blue Apron version which uses a similar (and healthier) approach to make a tasty, weeknight meal for two (double the recipe for 4 servings). 

I also like it because it contains the spicy Sambal oelek that I use with stir frys. Sambal oelek is a tart Indonesian condiment made from chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. It's got a good amount of heat, so start with the single teaspoon and you can ramp it up next time if you want more spice. Sriracha can also easily be substituted. 

The magic is the spicy mayo sauce that finishes the dish. It is creamy, spicy and makes a great counterpoint to the crispy shrimp. It's pretty quick and easy to make. If you get a bag of frozen shrimp that is already peeled and deveined, you save even more time. Serve the spicy, creamy shrimp over a bed of rice and you've got an easy and delicious one pan dinner.

Serves 2.

Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients:

• Shrimp - 12-16 oz. frozen, deveined and tail-off
• White rice - 1/2 cup
• Broccoli - enough for a side, cut into florets
• Garlic - 2 cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• Sweet Chili Sauce - 3 tablespoons
• Sambal Oelek - 1 teaspoon
• Mayonnaise - 2 tablespoons
• Rice flour - 2 tablespoons
• Panko bread crumbs - 2 tablespoons
• Furikake - 1 teaspoon

Instructions:

1. Defrost the shrimp overnight in the refrigerator. Then prep the shrimp by rinsing it off in a colander (and taking off the shells or tails if on). Let the rinsed shrimp stay in the colander for a bit then transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl to dry the shrimp.
2. Prepare the final sauce by mixing the mayonnaise, Sambal oelek, and the sweet chili sauce in a bowl until they are incorporated. Use a large enough bowl to add the cooked shrimp in the end. Taste and adjust the heat. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Wash and dry the broccoli and cut enough florets for the side dish.
4. Roughly chop two cloves of garlic. 
5. In a pot, combine the rice, water, and a big pinch of salt. Heat to bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, for 11-13 minutes, until the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat when done.
6. To prepare the broccoli, heat some olive oil in a skillet. Add the broccoli florets along with some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and a 1/4 cup of water. Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and cook until the water has cooked off. Transfer the broccoli to a bowl and cover with the foil to keep warm. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels.
7. In a bowl, add the shrimp and add some salt and pepper. Add the rice flour and panko bread crumbs. Stir to mix and coat each shrimp with the flour mixture. 
8. In the same skillet, heat some oil on medium high. Once the oil is hot, add the coated shrimp in an even layer. Cook without stirring 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Flip the shrimp and brown the other side then turn off the heat. 
9. Add the cooked shrimp to the creamy mayo sauce and stir to coat. 
10. Serve the shrimp on a bed of cooked rice. Add the broccoli to the side. Sprinkle Furikake on the shrimp and serve. 

Serve with a chilled white wine with some acidity like a Chenin Blanc, Dry Riesling, or a Sancerre.