Russian Eggplant Caviar (Baklazhanaya Ikra) also known as, Poor Man’s Caviar

Legend would have it that this dish came to be because the men who fished for sturgeon in Georgia, Ukraine and Russia couldn’t afford to eat their catch so they made an eggplant topping for their bread instead, using only what humble ingredients were on hand. As as child I used to wonder why on earth it was called a caviar when there was no actual caviar in it, and the legend explains everything.

I liken it to a caponata, the sort of thing you slather over beautiful crackers or bread. The flavours in Poor Man’s Caviar are delicious, somewhat Mediterranean with a hint of the Slavic with the addition of dill, and better still the next day. The flavour comes from double-cooking the eggplant, first by roasting and then by sauteing it with herbs and spices until it caramelises. It is a beautiful paté-style dish for parties and is completely vegan. I use it often as a side for red meat and as a topping for baked potatoes, yum.

Prep time: 15 mins, cooking time: 1 and a 1/2 hours. Makes about 1 and a 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small green capsicum (green pepper), chopped finely

1 medium tomato, peeled and chopped finely *

1 small red chilli chopped very finely (optional)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped finely

Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200˚Celcius (about 390˚F). Wash and cut your eggplants in half and lay them onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper, cut side down. Pierce the skins with a fork several times (or risk explosion in the oven.) Roast for approximately 30-40 minutes depending on the size of your eggplants, they should very soft and the skin very wrinkly. Scoop out the eggplant flesh and chop finely, set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy based pan over medium heat and cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the green capsicum and cook for ten minutes then add the tomato, cooking a further five to ten minutes until very soft and falling apart.

3. Add the chopped eggplant flesh to the vegetables in the pan, stir then add the chilli if using, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, honey, dill and seasonings. Mix well then cook stirring intermittently for another thirty minutes on medium to low heat. Wait at least an hour or two before serving to allow the flavour to develop then serve with hunks of bread or crackers (or as a side). If you include the chilli you will find the dish has that lovely little chilli kick to it just at the end. This is my inclusion and isn’t included in the original recipe, I call it a modern adaptation.

* To peel a tomato simply score the bottom by making a criss-cross then dunk into boiling water for about thirty seconds. The skin will come off easily.

#russia #eegplant #caviar #aubergine