Monday, March 4, 2013

Eggplant Caviar

Continuing with my usual blogging has not been the easiest and smoothest thing on my list of things to do...just like my daily tasks these days, but I'm trying my best to catch up. I know I owe you, my dear friends comments, and replies on your blogs. It's not enough to be replying back on  my comment section, it should be done directly by visiting your blogs.

So, I will try harder...you've been all so sweet and kind with all your comments. I thank you for that!
I seldom make eggplant dishes, although I do love eggplant...as do all my family. So many ways of preparing it, for appetizers, side dishes, and main dishes. It is so versatile and can be prepared so deliciously, just like I made it for a wonderful appetizer.
 Eggplant Caviar is another favorite Sicilian dish which I have been making for a long time. It is quite similar to the famous Caponata, but with less ingredients, and is simplified, using only a few additions. Also, traditionally it is peeled and mashed up into a paste-like concoction which is not so attractive...so I prefer to leave the skins on which as you can see is soft and edible, and also leave most of it in chunks. All you need is some crusty bread, and enjoy!

Eggplant Caviar
recipe by; Elisabeth

1 large eggplant
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced fine
1/4 cup small capers
juice of 1 lemon
a handful of fresh chopped Italian parsley
sea salt, or Kosher salt to taste
fresh ground black pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, about 1 teaspoon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with dull side of the aluminum foil side up; spray with cooking spray. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise then cut into thirds, and into segments as shown on photo. You can spray some more spray on the eggplant slices, or drizzle oil. (I sprayed mine with cooking spray)

Bake for about 20 minutes, and check to see if it needs liquid; just don't add any more oil...add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of plain water to the pan...it will soak into the eggplant. Continue baking for another 25 minutes.(45 minutes total)

When eggplant has a brownish color and soft, carefully take the hot baking pan out and remove the eggplant pieces with a flat spatula onto a cutting board to cool for a few minutes then, cut into bite size pieces.

Have a medium size bowl ready to add the 1/2 cup oil, the chopped garlic, pepper flakes, capers, parsley, the vinegar, and the lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper. Carefully add the eggplant, you can mash some of them up. Stir carefully, and serve it on small plates for first course, or just appetizer. Drizzle extra oil on top, and garnish with extra parsley.  Serves 4
Enhanced by Zemanta

33 comments:

Phong Hong said...

Elisabeth, this looks delicious! I am an eggplant fan and any eggplant dishes I will love :) This is making me hungry hah! hah!

Paula Montenegro said...

Blogging is very consuming, and life in general has it´s own rythm. I love eggplant so much, and yet I never made caviar. One more recipe to make soon Elisabeth!

Rosemary said...

Got my name on it . . . not Mr. Rosemary's, just mine. I could eat it all. I like the chunkiness of your version, Elisabeth. Take it easy on yourself.

Priya said...

Love eggplant in any form, caviar looks excellent, i can have with some toasted breads.

Angie's Recipes said...

I just got 2 small eggplants and was going to make some spread for my bread...but maybe I will just make this one instead. Looks very delicious.

Roza said...

Elizabeth, nem csak az ételeid, a képeid is csodálatosak!:)
Gratulálok!:)

Elisabeth said...

Köszönöm Roza, nagyon kedves vagy...örvendek hogy benéztél hozzám!

Kati said...

Így még nem készítettem a padlizsánt, de nagyon finomnak tűnik. Mi inkább csak majonézes salátának szoktuk készíteni:)

Patty Magyar said...

It looks incredibly delicious...and I don't always love eggplant!

Gina Stanley said...

I should make this for my mom, she loves, loves, loves eggplant. Don't stress over commenting and such, just do and read things that make you happy. I know sometimes when I'm feeling blue I will write it out in a very rough draft, save it and then a couple months later I will go back and re-read it and I delete it, a sign to myself that I'm letting it go. Talking to a good friend is great medicine too. Hope it gets easier as time goes by.
Hugs,
-Gina-

Amelia said...

Hi my dear Elisabeth, your egg plant dish look very scrumptious. Look very inviting. Actually eggplant very versatile, there are many way to cook this delicious eggplant.

With lots of love and hugs to you. Take care, my dear.

wanna said...

Ez igazán príma ötlet! Imádom a padlizsánt, a kaprit, ... Csodás! Ki kell próbálnom !

Michael Toa said...

Eggplant/aubergine is one of my favourite vegetables. I absolutely love them. Your eggplant caviar looks utterly delicious Elisabeth. Yum.
I hope you are doing well and recovering nicely. Take care my dear friend :)

lena said...

hi elisabeth, hope all is well with you. I do love eggplants and never tried baking with them, i only know how to stir fry them the chinese way, i'm sure this is very delicious!

Monet said...

Hi Elisabeth. My oh my, this looks so very good. I love eggplant, and I think this caviar is so sophisticated. Thank you for sharing, sweet friend. I hope today and this week brings many blessings and more good food!

Chic & Gorgeous Treats said...

Hi Eli! Welcome back and do take your time ;). If it's of any comfort, I don't think I have been blogging enough myself. Been slightly caught up with family and work. I have a weak spot for eggplants and this is definitely a dish I wouldn't mind having it on it's own. Take care now my friend and you are always thought of and constantly missed across the Pacific. ♥ ♥ Jo

♥LOVE2COOK MALAYSIA♥ said...

Hello dearie. Good day to you.

Eggplant was something I would run away from during my younger days. Never liked it. But now no longer. Loved it anyway. Yours look too tempting. I can finish them off in no time.

Have a blessed day my friend. ;)

Emma said...

Wow, such a delicious looking recipe - it looks very Italian. I love how silky eggplant goes after cooking it.

I'd probably have this piled on top of toasted ciabatta being the bread fiend I am, it really looks lovely Elisabeth.

asplashofvanilla.com

honey82 said...

Slurp!! :P
Delizioso davvero!! :-)
Un bacione

Liz Berg said...

Beautifully done...I've made this, too, but it wasn't nearly as photogenic. Don't worry about commenting...you're still in a period of mourning and adjustment. You can't hurry that along. Take care, my friend. xo

Roza said...

Kedves Elizabeth!
Követőd lettem, de a képemet nem tette ki a rendszer:(
Ismét jelöltem, akkor már azt írta ki, hogy ezt a blogot már követem...
Háááát, tanácstalan vagyok.

Mari Núñez said...

This looks so appetizing, Elizabeth. I am taking a few ideas on how you bake the eggplant to make it look this delicious.

My hugs

Zsuzsa said...

Elisabeth, this dish looks luscious and inviting! I will have to try it, Jim always puts a few eggplants in the garden, and I have to admit outside of breaded egg plants I am not so good about using what he grows. Good to see you post. I have been struggling with posting too.

rita argentieri said...

This is very tasty Elisabeth! I always ends up to fry the aubergines, but I know that it is quite bad and VERY OILY. I love your roasted version with a very delicious Italian 'salsetta'. PS it's difficult sometimes to keep up with everything, we all try to do our best....

Kathy said...

Oh Elisabeth!! This looks delicious! I adore eggplants, and this is such a wonderful way to eat them…so tasty and healthy, too!
Hope you are doing well! I have missed you, my friend!

megcjones said...

yum yum! i rarely cook with eggplant at home (not exactly sure why) but this looks like a great place to start. thanks for sharing!

Katalin said...

Kedves Elisabeth! Egy játékra szeretnélek invitálni, amit Éva indított, légy szíves nézz majd be hozzám :)

A.L.M. said...

Hi I'm Ana from Fooduel.com. It is a site in which users vote recipes
from 1 to 10.

There is a ranking of the best recipes and a profile with your voted recipes. Each recipe has a link to the blog which belongs the recipe. This way you will get traffic to your blog

It's easy, fast and fun. The best Photo recipes will be here.

I invite you to enter, add your blog and upload a recipe with a nice photo for user of all the world look your recipes.

We would love that you participate with some recipe like this.Look Amazing!

Regards

http://www.Fooduel.com

mangiabella said...

you take things one day at a time bella, I am praying for you!!! and this looks wonderful AS ALWAYS!!

honey82 said...

Ciao Darling!! :-)
Un antipasto da favola,complimenti!!!
Kisses and hugs

Juliana Levine said...

I love eggplant but find if hard to come up with recipes...therefore thank you so much for this recipe...looks awesome!
Have a wonderful weekend Elisabeth :)

Louisette said...

Wonderfull recipe, greeting from Belgium

Anonymous said...

What's up Dear, are you in fact visiting this web site on a regular basis, if so then you will without doubt take pleasant knowledge.

Look into my page; http://wealthwayonline.com