Recipe: Eggplant Caviar

Name: Eggplant Caviar
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 375 min
Yield: 15 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 eggplants; 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar; 1 tomato; 4 tablespoons olive oil; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1 onion; 1 nice garlic clove; Fresh herbs (6 basil leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley); Salt and freshly ground pepper

By zipette 4.9/5 (29 reviews) · 🍳 10 made it

Recipe Eggplant Caviar - Chef recipe — Photo: Aftouch-cuisine

Prep 30 min

Cook 45 min

Rest 5h

Total 6h15

Servings 15 serv.

Less greasy than tzatziki, creamier than salsa, eggplant caviar plays between raw and cooked. Five hours in the fridge is the time it takes for the garlic to become subtle and the melting onion to blend into the puree. Serve on crispy toasted bread, it's your best ally.

Ingredients for 15 servings

Adjust for

servings

3 eggplants
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tomato
4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 onion
1 nice garlic clove
Fresh herbs (6 basil leaves, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Step-by-step directions

1 Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C) (390°F).

2 Wash your eggplants, dry them well, then place them whole on an oven rack at mid-height for 45 minutes.

3 While the eggplants are cooking, slice your onion into thin strips. Sweat them gently over low heat in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil without letting them brown. Pour in a half cup of water and cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Set aside on a plate.

4 Blanch and deseed your tomato after plunging it in boiling water for one minute.

5 Chop your herbs (parsley and basil).

6 Remove the eggplants from the oven, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. An essential step for success: place the flesh in a fine sieve and gently press to remove excess water.

7 Mix all your ingredients in the blender: fresh herbs, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the peeled and crushed garlic clove, eggplant flesh, tomato, onion, 1/2 teaspoon vinegar, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt and freshly ground pepper. Blend for 2 minutes until you get a smooth mixture.

8 Store your eggplant caviar in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 3 hours.

9 Serve your eggplant caviar very chilled on blinis or toasted country bread.

A chef's advice

Country bread toasted with olive oil and a light sprinkle of Guérande salt. Or warm blinis if you have time. The key is the contrast between the freshness of the caviar and the crispness of the base. Nothing else on the plate, or you'll drown out the flavors.