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IKRA - Russian eggplant caviar/Russian aubergine caviar

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...

Rosinakissell aka Raisin Fruit Soup



Here's a (old Estonian?) recipe for a simple dessert that costs next to nothing - and is made pretty much out of nothing (raisins, water, sugar). Yet it tastes good..

I vaguely remember it from kindergarten and elementary school lunch breaks, but it had been a looooong time since my last rosinakissell. Until I stayed at the maternity clinic early last month and had to 'feast' on the food that the hospital budget catering had to offer. The desserts were all nursery food and humble, and raisin fruit soup or kissel was served one night. Although the hospital version wasn't the best example of this dessert soup, it still brought back nostalgic food memories. Back home, one of the first dishes I cooked as a young mother, was this dessert soup/fruit soup/kissell (call what you like it). Pretty delicious, actually.

For best result, use different type of seedless raisins and currants. I used small yellow and large Californian raisins.

Raisin Fruit Soup
(Rosinakissell)
Serves 4



200 g seedless raisins
1.5 litres of water
sugar, to taste
1 cinnamon stick
3 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch/cornflour

Wash the raisins and soak in a bowl of boiled water overnight (the latter is not absolutely necessary, but it shortens the cooking period).
Place raisins and water into a saucepan and bring into a boil. Season with sugar (careful here, as raisins are naturally sweet), throw in a cinnamon stick.
Simmer on a medium heat until raisins are all plump and softened.
Mix the starch with some cold water and pour into the raisin soup, whisking constantly to avoid clumps. If using potato starch, remove the saucepan from the heat the moment it starts to bubble lightly again. If using corn starch/cornflour, bring into a boil and simmer for couple of minutes.
Pour into dessert bowls and sprinkle some sugar on top.

Serve with whipped cream, curd/farmer's cheese cream or softened vanilla ice cream.

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