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Odesa eggplant caviar
Ikra z synenkykh (ікра з синеньких): charred aubergine chopped with tomato, pepper, onion and sunflower oil
Odesans call aubergines 'synenki', the little blue ones, and every late-summer table in the city has a bowl of this smoky caviar on it. The aubergines are charred over a flame until they collapse, then chopped by hand with raw tomato, sweet pepper and onion and dressed with fragrant unrefined sunflower oil. Locals at the Pryvoz market will tell you a blender is forbidden: the texture should be rough and juicy, with every vegetable still visible. Spread it thickly on black rye bread, serve it with boiled potatoes, or set it out with pickles as a starter. A frequent mistake is leaving the bitter brown juice in, so let the peeled flesh drain in a colander for a few minutes. Chef's tip: chop everything with a heavy knife on the same board, one vegetable after another, so the juices mingle before the oil goes in.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 3 auberginesabout 900 g
- 1 red pepperseeded
- 1 red onionsmall
- 1 clove garliccrushed
- 4 tbsp unrefined sunflower oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 pinch sugar
- 2 tbsp parsley (optional)chopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Prick 3 aubergines a few times and roast directly over a gas flame, on a barbecue or under a very hot grill, turning, for 20–25 minutes, until the skin is black and blistered and the flesh collapses when pressed.
25 minStep 2: Put them in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 10 minutes to steam, so the skin loosens.
10 minStep 3: Peel off the skin with your fingers, remove the stems and let the flesh drain in a colander for 5 minutes, discarding the brown juice.
5 minStep 4: Meanwhile, chop 3 ripe tomatoes, 1 red pepper and 1 red onion into small dice on a large board.
6 minStep 5: Chop the aubergine flesh with a heavy knife until roughly pulpy, then add the other vegetables and 1 clove garlic to the board and chop everything together for a minute.
3 minStep 6: Scrape into a bowl and stir in 4 tbsp unrefined sunflower oil, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and 1 pinch sugar. Taste and adjust; it should be bright and juicy.
1 minStep 7: Chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to settle, then scatter over 2 tbsp parsley and serve with black rye bread (or gluten-free bread if needed).
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does odesa eggplant caviar take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 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 red pepper?
- Any colour of bell pepper, same amount.
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