Eggplant Caviar

photo taken by Indiana Public Media, on December 23, 2009, CC licensing

Ingredients:
- 4 eggplants [(about 2 lb./1kg.) will make
about 1 lb. 6 oz./650 gr. Of Aubergine Caviar]
- 1 oz./30 gr. Onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 teaspoon salt
- 1 fluid oz./30 ml. vegetable oil
- 2 fluid oz./60 ml. vinegar

Preparation:
Preheat the broiler.

Jab the eggplants with a fork and lay them on a pan around 3 inches from the heat. Keep turning them. In Arad, they did this on a barbecue grill outside, which was a lot more work, but worth it when you taste it. This will take around 20 minutes.

Cut stalks off and cut the eggplants lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh and seeds. Throw out the skin, and use any bowl so long as it’s not metal (and don’t use a metal spoon—eggplants don’t like metal and turn black when they come into contact with it).

To get the water out, squeeze the flesh with your hands. Now chop the flesh thoroughly. It should look rough and not smooth, by the way. Slowly add the oil, and mix it in vigorously as you go.

Finally, add the vinegar, salt and chopped onion. Chill it for a while. You can serve toasted baguette slices alongside, and decorate the plate with the red peppers you made above.

Serves: 4-6

Sephardic or Askhenazi
Sephardic