Path: swen.emba.uvm.edu!news.cs.utah.edu!caen!spool.mu.edu!howland.erols.net!newsxfer2.itd.umich.edu!uunet!in2.uu.net!mack.rt66.com!mack.rt66.com!not-for-mail From: Gregory Nickoloff Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes Subject: Baklazhannaia Ikra, Russian Eggplant Spread Followup-To: rec.food.cooking Date: 25 Aug 1996 12:32:06 -0600 Organization: Toledo, Ohio Lines: 58 Sender: phill@mack.rt66.com Approved: phill@rt66.com Message-ID: <3206346D.486B@toledolink.com> Reply-To: Gregory Nickoloff NNTP-Posting-Host: mack.rt66.com This is a Russian recipie for an eggplant spread that she may find interesting...I suppose caviar could be added, but on its own, its delicious. Baklazhannaia Ikra 1 large eggplant 1 cup finely chopped onions 6 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled, chopped, seeded 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt freshly ground black pepper 2-3 tablespoons black pepper dark rye or pumpernickel bread Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Puncture eggplant several times to allow steam to escape. (Nothing's worse than cleaning bake-on, exploded eggplant off your oven walls!) Bake the eggplant on the middle rack for about an hour, turning it over once or twice until it is soft and it's skin is charred and blistered. Meanwhile, cook the onions in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over moderate heat until they are soft but not brown (6-8 mins). 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 of the eggplant with a sharp knife, then chop the pulp finely, almost to a puree (it should be almost soft enough to stir in). 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 two remaining tablespoons of olive 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 an hour. Remove the cover and cook for another half-hour, stirring from time to time, until all the moisture in the pan has evaporated, and the mixture is firm enough to hold it's shape in a spoon. Stir in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill, covering it with plastic wrap, until ready to serve. Serve on pieces of rye bread. Gregory Nickoloff Toledo, Ohio http://www.toledolink.com/~gnickoloff/ ~~~ Rec.food.recipes is moderated; only recipes and recipe requests are accepted for posting. Please read the "Posting Guidelines" article. Recipes/requests go to recipes@rt66.com; questions/comments to tfdpress@acpub.duke.edu. Please allow several days for your submission to appear.