Ajvar (Roasted Peppers and Eggplant)

Title:
Ajvar (Roasted Peppers and Eggplant)

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Turkish,
Vegetables,
Appetizers




Ingredients:





    12    Fresh red New Mexican chiles


     4    Meduim eggplants


   3/4 c  Olive oil or corn oil


     1    Large onion, minced


     3    Large garlic cloves, chopped


     2 tb Lemon juice


     2 tb Red wine


          Salt/pepper to taste


          Parsley for garnish






   Roast the peppers and eggplant over charcoal or gas flame, or bake in a


 preheated oven at 475 deg. F until the skins are blistered and black. Place


 the roasted vegetables in a paper bag and let them steam in their own heat


 for 10 minutes. Peel off and discard the burnt skins along with the stems


 and seeds. Mash the pepper and eggplant pulp together to form a homogeneous


 mass, either smooth or slightly chunky, as desired.


   Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet and saute the onion until very


 soft. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes lomger. Remove from heat and stir


 in the pepper-eggplant pulp, mixing well. Slowly drizzle remaining oil into


 the mixture, stirring constantly to incorporate all the oil. Add lemon


 juice and vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and


 garnish with parsley.


   Serve as an appetizer spread on thick slices of country-style white


 bread, or flat pita bread, or use as a side dish to accompany grilled or


 roasted meats.


 


 Source: Chile Pepper


 


 From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini