What I particularly love about this dish is the clever play on traditional Dutch cumin cheese (komijnekaas).
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- Lemon juice, to taste
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
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- 1 lb (500 g) Olde remeker cheese (or aged 'boerenkaas' cheese)
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- You will need a:
- Griddle pan
- Pestle and mortar
- Food processor
Preparation:
In a small dry frying pan, roast the cumin seeds. Crush half the seeds in a pestle and mortar, while keeping the other half of the seeds to one side.
Puree the eggplant, freshly ground cumin, garlic and 2 tbsp of oil in a food processor until smooth. Now add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Place the aubergine dip in a small bowl and garnish with the remaining cumin seeds.
Cut the cheese into thick wedges and serve with the dip and your favorite bread.
Snack for 4 people.
Tips:
I found the raw garlic taste to be rather overpowering in Yolanda's recipe, and would use only half a clove of garlic next time (or a very small clove of garlic).
If you can't find Olde remeker, use aged 'boerenkaas' or aged Gouda instead.
If you don't have a pestle and mortar, simply put the seeds in a plastic bag, pressing the air out as you seal it, place on a wooden board and bash a few times with a rolling pin.
I found the portion size rather small for four people, and would double it next time.
Yolanda suggests serving this dish with a glass of cold beer or aged genever (Dutch gin).
