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...

I've given you so many sweet recipes recently that it's definitely time to share a lovely savoury recipe instead.
Here's a quick pickled cucumber salad that would keep nicely a week or so in your fridge. It's gutsy, has got lots of flavor and crunch, and tastes lovely. I nibbled on it straight from a bowl, but it would make a nice side salad to some grilled meat as well.
The only downside is that you only get about two 500 ml jars out of this amount. If you give one to your mum or a dear friend, then you're just left with one jar yourself, which is no way enough ... For best result, use small crisp cucumbers and not the long supermarket ones.
Pickled Sliced Cucumber Salad
(Marineeritud kurgisalat)
1 kg small crisp cucumbers
2 large onions
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 Tbsp vinegar (30%)
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp Dijon or Estonian mustard
1 to 2 large dried dill "blossoms" (ask from the market)
Slice the cucumber and onions into thin slices - I used my kitchen mandoline. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then cover with cling film and leave to stand at room temperature (that's 18-20 C) for about 5 hours.
Shake the bowl or mix the salad couple of times, so the seasonings would distribute evenly.
Divide into sterilised jars and close the jars (there should be enough liquid now to cover the cucumber slices).
Keeps for a week or two in the fridge.
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