Someone was looking for a "soft aubergine/eggplant spread with tomatoes" and I knew exactly what they were talking about. There's a dish in Russia, our Eastern neighbour, which is called IKRA or fake caviar. I got this recipe from Russian friend Galina back in Edinburgh sometimes around 2000. Still makes a regular appearance in our kitchen. It's lovely on a slice of toast, or as a condiment or spread on a mezze-table. Russian aubergine spread IKRA 1 large aubergine/eggplant 1 large onion 2 garlic cloves 2 tomatoes 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice salt and freshly ground black pepper fresh parsley or dill Prick the aubergine with a fork here and there, then place into a preheated 200C/400F oven and bake for about 60 minutes, until fully cooked and slightly charred on the outside. Flip over once or twice during baking. Remove from the oven, let it cool. Then cul half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Place into a cutting b...
Last weekend we managed to buy some really beautiful French apricots at the market. We made a batch of David's Fresh Apricot Ice Cream, and K. made couple of jars of his delicious apricot jam. We still had plenty of apricots left, however, so I decided to make an apricot clafoutis.
Well, it's not a traditional French clafoutis. But it looks similar enough, and the idea is very similar, too. Sprinkle some soft fruit in a buttered dish, pour the batter over and bake. The 'Estonian twist' here is the addition of our much-loved 'kohupiim' or curd cheese (sold as 'farmer's cheese' in the US). It gives the batter some body and a nice tangy flavour. You can use ricotta instead, but add an tablespoon or two of sour cream then as well.
Apricot 'clafoutis' with farmer's cheese
(Kohupiima-aprikoosivorm)
Serves 6
250 g fine curd cheese/farmer's cheese or ricotta
2 large eggs
200 g sour cream
3 Tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar or vanilla extract
a cup of sliced fresh apricots
cinnamon, for dusting
butter for the dish
Wash and drain the apricots, then halve, remove the stones and cut each apricot halve into three slices.
Butter a medium-sized oven dish, scatter apricots in the dish.
Mix farmer's cheese, eggs, sour cream, sugar, vanilla sugar and flour in a bowl, until you've got a uniform batter. Pour over the apricots (or pour the batter in first and then scatter the apricot slices on top - it's up to you).
Dust with some cinnamon and extra sugar, if you wish.
Bake at 180 Centigrade for 45-50 minutes, until the dish is cooked through and it's golden on top.
Serve warm or cool before serving.
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