Russian Inspired Eggplant Salad Food

RUSSIAN EGGPLANT CAVIAR ("IKRA")

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
• Using a fork, poke holes in the eggplants at approximately 2-inch intervals* (see note below). Drizzle the eggplants and peppers with a few drops of olive oil and rub to coat evenly.
• Place on a baking sheet and roast until blistered, blackened, and totally collapsed, 45 to 60 minutes, turning the veg every 20 minutes or so. (The peppers may be done first, so pull them out and continue roasting the eggplants.)
• Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Set aside at room temp - or chill in the fridge - until they're cool enough to handle. (Covering the bowl with plastic traps the steam, making the veg easier to peel later.)
• Meanwhile, cut an X into the bottoms of the tomatoes, cutting about a quarter of the way through. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for a few minutes. Then drain and run tomatoes under cold water. Peel off the skins and discard. Finely dice and place in a large bowl.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the skins off the roasted vegetables and discard, along with the tops. Split open the peppers and discard the ribs and seeds. Firmly squeeze the eggplant flesh with your hands and discard the excess liquid.
• Place the eggplants and peppers in a food processor and puree until smooth (alternatively, chop them very finely). Transfer the puree to the bowl with the tomatoes and add the onion, parsley, garlic, vinegar, sunflower oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
• Set aside for at least 15 minutes before serving. (Leftovers may be refrigerated for up to 5 days).

RUSSIAN EGGPLANT

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice and water. Place the eggplant slices into the lemon water to soak while you bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Drain and rinse the eggplant slices, then place them into the boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes, or until barely tender. Drain.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish. Layer the eggplant slices, tomatoes and onion in the dish, sprinkling each layer with a little flour as you go. In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread this over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle generously with paprika.
• Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top is nicely browned and there is a bubbly sauce.