Ajvar: An Eggplant and Bell Pepper Gluten-Free Condiment Recipe
Spicy, nicely acidic, rustic, and a wonderful accompaniment to vegetables, sandwiches, eggs, or anything else that’ll benefit from a little kick, this bell pepper–based condiment, Ajvar, hails from the Balkans (a European region consisting of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Albania).
Ajvar: An Eggplant and Bell Pepper Gluten-Free Condiment Recipe
MAKES 1-1/2 CUPS This condiment can be used like harissa and stored, refrigerated, for up to 1 week. If you want to tone down the heat, seed the chili pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 1-pound eggplant
- 2 red bell peppers
- 5 garlic cloves unpeeled
- 1 1-inch hot red chili pepper, such as aji rojo
- 2 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Quarter the eggplant and peppers and place them skin side down on a baking sheet with the garlic. Bake until the vegetables are soft, and the skin of the peppers is slightly charred, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skins from the vegetables and the garlic.
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In a food processor, combine the baked vegetables and garlic with the chili, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Photography Fabrice Demoulin
