AI-generated image
Lyutenitsa
Bulgarian smooth roasted pepper and tomato relish
Lyutenitsa is Bulgaria's pantry relish, cooked in huge pans in courtyards around Plovdiv and the Thracian plain every September, when the red peppers are at their sweetest. Roasted peppers, tomatoes and a little aubergine and carrot are ground smooth and simmered for hours into a thick, brick-red spread, warm with garlic and a little hot pepper. It is smoother and more tomato-rich than ajvar or zacuscă. Children grow up on it spread on bread with grated sirene (filiyka), and it goes with everything from eggs to beans. Chef's tip: stir from the bottom often as it thickens; walking away is the common mistake, and a scorched base will taint the whole pot.
- Total time
- 140 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Roast 3 ⅓ lb red romano peppers and 1 aubergine under a hot grill or in a 450°F oven, turning, until the skins are charred and the flesh soft.
30 minStep 2: Steam the peppers in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and seed them; peel the aubergine. Score 2 ¼ lb ripe tomatoes, cover with boiling water for 1 minute, then peel.
15 minStep 3: Blend the peppers, aubergine, tomatoes and 1 hot red chilli to a smooth purée.
5 minStep 4: Heat ¾ cup sunflower oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium heat and cook 2 carrots for 5 minutes until soft. Add the purée, 2 tsp sugar and 2 ½ tsp salt.
5 minStep 5: Simmer, uncovered, on a medium-low heat, stirring from the bottom every few minutes, until very thick and glossy and the oil rises to the top, 1–1½ hours.
80 minStep 6: Stir in 4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar and 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and cook for 5 minutes more. Spoon hot into sterilised jars and seal; keep in the fridge for 3 weeks.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lyutenitsa take?
- About 140 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.
Olive salsa dip
A chunky Mediterranean salsa of chopped black olives, tomato, pepper and spring onions with chives, basil, garlic, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Serve it cold or at room temperature with corn chips or toasted bread.