Eggplant and Zucchini Caviar/Ікра з баклажанів і кабачків
Submitted by: Olga Koutseridi - Austin, Texas / Mariupol, Ukraine
Who passed this recipe down to you? My mom
Recipe origin: Ukraine
How old is this recipe? My mom adapted the recipe from my grandmother, I would say 60 years or so.
The story behind the recipe:
Ikra (Ikra z baklazhaniv i kabachkiv), a cousin of French ratatouille or Italian ciambotta, is a medley of vegetables cooked over low heat and finished with lots of garlic. My mom learned this recipe from my grandmother and over the years has made it her own. To be honest, my family loves everything eggplant and this is probably our favorite eggplant dish.
Eggplant has an interesting history and place in Ukrainian cuisine. Eggplant was introduced by the Ottoman Turks and Sephardic Jewish communities of Odesa and plays an especially important role in the cooking of Southern Ukraine. The ingredient was less prominent in other regions of Ukraine as it reflected the influence and control of the Ottoman Empire.
This dish is super versatile and can be made ahead of time and served warm or cold. For crunchy contrast, spread it on a slice of toasted sourdough like my family and I do. Budmo!
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 cups finely diced onion or 1 large onion (221 grams)
2 ½ cups peeled and shredded eggplant or 1 large eggplant (350 grams)
2 bay leaves
4 cups shredded zucchini or 3 medium zucchini (560 grams)
1 ½ cups stemmed, cored, and shredded red bell pepper or 1 large bell pepper (200 grams)
2 ½ cups tomato juice
1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
5 garlic cloves
How to make it:
1. Heat 4 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
2. While the onions cook, prepare the vegetables. Add the shredded eggplant as soon as it is grated and 2 bay leaves to the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally until the eggplant is incorporated. Now add the shredded zucchini, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1 cup of tomato juice, and turn the heat to medium, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. At this point add the shredded red bell pepper, discarding the skin and add the remaining 1½ cups of tomato juice to the pan. Add salt and pepper, reduce to medium-low heat and continue to cook for 1 to 1½ hours until you have a brown and thickened mixture.
4. Turn off the heat and, using a microplane or garlic press, add 5 large garlic cloves to the pan, stir, and leave on the stove to cool for 30 minutes to an hour.
5. Transfer the mixture to a clean jar or container and pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over the top, making sure the top layer is completely covered by oil. Cover with a lid and let it cool completely before storing it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.