Russian Eggplant Caviar Recipes

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush eggplant with olive oil and roast eggplants at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft.
• Saute the garlic and shallots in 2 ounces olive oil over low heat until they are translucent and aromatic.
• After the eggplant has cooled, remove the pulp from the skins, and place in a food processor and process until smooth.
• Place mixture in a bowl and add remaining ingredients along with garlic and shallots. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper, and serve with pita wedges

POOR MAN'S CAVIAR: EGGPLANT SPREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to highest setting, at least 500 degrees F.
• Cut 2 or 3 slits into whole eggplant. Place eggplant directly on the oven rack in the middle of the oven and roast the eggplant until it is tender, about 20 minutes. Keep the slits facing up so that the eggplant does not loose liquids as it roasts.
• The roasted eggplant will look like a flat tire when you remove it from the oven. Using a sharp utility knife, carefully peel skin away from eggplant flesh. Add cooked eggplant flesh and juice to food processor and combine with garlic, allspice, salt, and pepper and parsley. Pulse grind the eggplant into a paste, add a drizzle of olive oil. Transfer to a serving dish. The seeds of the eggplant will make the spread resemble caviar eggs, and so the name: poor man's caviar.
• To serve, surround a bowlful of spread with crusty bread rounds.
• Tidbit: Mixed olives and selections of Italian sheep's milk cheeses are suggested accompaniments to this menu to round out your buffet. They require no recipe or preparation and add something to the offering overall. Place them on the buffet near the eggplant caviar and bread.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Roast eggplants: Using a wooden skewer, pierce eggplants all over. Turn two gas burners or a gas grill to high flame; place one eggplant on each. Cook, turning with tongs as each side blackens and softens, until skins are completely black and flesh is falling-apart tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from flame; transfer to a nonreactive baking dish. Place one end of dish on a slant so that the juices can run from the eggplants. When cool enough to handle, peel away all blackened skin.
• Place eggplant flesh in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the onion, tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread.

RUSSIAN EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Bake eggplant, allow to cool, skin, & mince finely.
• Saute onion & pepper in 1 tb of oil until onion is browned.
• Add adding remaining oil.
• Add tomato paste, stir well & simmer for 5-mins.
• Add vinegar, sugar, salt & pepper & ceggplant.
• Stir well & cook slowly for 30-mins on a low-heat.
• If necessary you may add more oil to prevent mixture from sticking & thus burning.
• Remove from heat, cool to room temp, then refrigerate.
• Serve cold on thinly sliced black bread with butter & freshly chopped onion if desired.

BAKLAZHANNAIA IKRA (POOR MAN'S CAVIAR)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the eggplant on a baking sheet in the center of the oven, turning it over once or twice, until it is soft and its skin is charred and blistered, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the onions in 4 tablespoons oil over medium heat until they are soft but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes longer. With a rubber spatula, scrape the contents of the skillet into a mixing bowl.
• Remove the skin from the baked eggplant with a small, sharp knife, then chop the eggplant pulp finely, almost to a pure. Add it to the mixing bowl and stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix together thoroughly. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over moderate heat and pour in the eggplant mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then turn the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Uncover and cook 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until all the moisture in the pan has evaporated and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Transfer the “caviar" to a mixing bowl and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve. Serve on squares of bread or on sesame-seed crackers.

RUSSIAN EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Place eggplants in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain in a colander; press out excess water with the back of a large spoon.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add green bell pepper; cook and stir until softened, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Stir drained eggplant into the skillet. Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper; cook, mashing eggplant with the back of the spoon, until flavors combine and tomato sauce darkens, about 30 minutes.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut in half lengthwise: 2 medium eggplants.
• Sprinkle the cut surfaces with: Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, Olive oil.
• Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast until soft. Test for doneness at the stem end; the eggplant should be very soft. Remove from the oven and let cool. Scrape the flesh out of the skins into a bowl and stir vigorously to loosen into a purée.
• Add: 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper, 1 garlic clove, peeled and pounded to a purée, 2 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro.
• Mix well and taste, adding more salt and lemon as needed.
• Variations
• Use 2 tablespoons chopped mint in place of parsley or cilantro.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed toasted coriander seeds. To toast, heat whole coriander seeds in a heavy pan over medium heat until slightly brown. Crush in a mortar and pestle or under a heavy pan.
• Add a pinch or two of dried chile flakes.
• For a smoky flavor, keep one eggplant whole and char it over hot coals or the open flame of a burner until tender. Cut in half, scrape out the flesh, and combine with the other ingredients.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Roast the eggplants; peel away the blackened skin.
• Place the eggplants in a food processor; pulse until pureed. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve warm or at room temperature with pita or rye bread.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Puncture the eggplant all around with a sharp knife. Place on a baking sheet or shallow baking dish and bake about 1 1/2 hours until it is very soft.
• Meanwhile soak anchovy fillets in cold water for about 10 minutes. Pat dry and smash with a fork. Place anchovy in a large bowl; add garlic, shallot, capers and pepper. Add a tablespoon olive oil and mix. Set aside.
• Once eggplant is done, allow to rest until is cool enough to handle. Cut open and scoop out the pulp into a large strainer. Scrape the inside of the skin with a spoon to remove all the pulp. Press pulp into strainer to remove as much moisture as you can. Let drain about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board; chop fine.
• Place chopped eggplant in the bowl with the other ingredients and mix well. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix until smooth. Add lemon juice to taste and salt to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
• Place egg in a small serving bowl; red onion in another small bowl; capers in another bowl; and Greek yogurt in still another small bowl. Serve with toast or pita wedges.

RUSSIAN-INSPIRED EGGPLANT SALAD

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry eggplant in the hot oil, stirring to prevent burning, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove eggplant from heat and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put tomatoes and eggs in a salad bowl and toss with Gruyere cheese and garlic.
• Transfer eggplant to the salad bowl and whisk in mayonnaise and salt.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR FOR POTATO BLINI

Steps:

• Halve eggplant lengthwise; score the flesh side of both halves, making a crisscross pattern about 1/4 inch deep. Sprinkle both halves with salt and place scored-side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with a second baking sheet and place a heavy object (such as cans or a set of bowls) on top. Let eggplant render its excess liquid at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
• Rinse eggplant, pat dry, and rub with some olive oil. Place halves flesh side down on prepared baking sheet. Transfer to oven and roast until eggplant is very soft and skin is wrinkled, about 1 hour. There should be no resistance when tested with a knife. Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp and lightly chop. Place pulp in a double layer of cheesecloth and tie to enclose with kitchen twine, leaving about 6 inches on the end. Hang bundle from a shelf in the refrigerator with a bowl set underneath or place in a colander set over a bowl and refrigerate; let drain at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Remove eggplant from refrigerator and hold cheesecloth bundle over sink; twist and squeeze to remove as much additional liquid as possible. Transfer pulp to the bowl of a small food processor; pulse a few times to break up eggplant. With the motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons olive oil through the feed tube; continue processing until the color and texture begin to lighten, about 30 seconds.
• Turn the machine off and add garlic, mustard, and salt. With the motor running, slowly add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue processing 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Eggplant caviar may be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

SICILIAN EGGPLANT CAVIAR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prick eggplants all over with a fork, then place on a sheet pan. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise, and scoop out meat into a saucepan. Simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated and eggplant is dry, about 20 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper, and saute one minute. Add anchovies and olives, and saute another minute, stirring continuously. Add tomatoes, and cook a minute more. Add eggplant, and cook two minutes. Add cheese, croutons and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in mint and parsley until well combined. Serve immediately.