Recipe
This Easy Eggplant Caviar Is the Bougiest Thing You’ll Eat All Week
This pan-Eurasian eggplant starter has as many variations as there are distinct cuisines in the greater Eurasia region. The Azerbaijani version, from Feride Buyuran’s Pomegranates and Saffron, is distinguished by a touch of vinegar added at the end, which adds a wonderfully subtle layer of complexity.
A couple of things before you start: eggplant needs LOTS of salt to be properly seasoned, err on the side of lower heat in the last step to avoid drying it out, and maybe chop the pepper a little finer than everything else, since it is the crispiest thing added closest to the end.
Eggplant Caviar
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 110 minutes
- Servings: 1 large bowl for a group, or many bites for individual snacking.
- Medium
Ingredients
- Eggplants (2 pounds) before cooking
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Pepper
- Salt
Photo by Valentine Bratoff
Step 1
Char or roast eggplants for peeling. If roasting, cook eggplants for 30-40 minutes at 400ºF. After peeling, chop flesh roughly.
Step 2
Oil your pan and cook the onion until soft and translucent (7-10 minutes). Avoid coloring.
Step 3
Evaporate some liquid from the tomatoes (5 minutes).
Step 4
Add eggplant and peppers and season to taste. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring from time to time, until liquid is evaporated and mixture smooth (40 minutes).
Step 5
About 5 minutes before you remove the pan from heat, stir in vinegar.
#SpoonTip: Double check the seasoning because vinegar counteracts salt.
Step 6
Allow to cool and leave to sit at least 3 hours before eating. It will only get better over time.
Photo by Valentine Bratoff
Check out the book here, and hit up Buyuran’s site for more incredible food.
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