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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...

New Year's Eve 2012 @ Nami-Nami

The last meal 2012 / Aastavahetuse peo menüü

We hosted a big New Year's Eve party at our home on December 31st. We were 16 adults and 6 kids in total, so we decided against a proper sit-down meal and went for the buffét instead (known as "Swedish table" or "Rootsi laud" in Estonian). And although many Estonians would be eating pork and sauerkraut and roasted potatoes - our typical Christmas fare - on New Year's Eve as well, we never do and go for a much lighter and rather different dishes. Here's what we were having for the last meal of 2012 (I've provided links to English-language recipes available on Nami-Nami, where appropriate).

Rye bread canapés with mustard and lemon butter, dill and shredded beets:Canapés with mustard-lemon-dill butter and beets / Tilli-sinepikanapeed peediga

Crostini with Brie and lingonberry jam:
Crostini with Brie and lingonberry jam / Krõbesaiad valgehallitusjuustu ja pohlamoosiga

Red onion "boats" with smetana and salmon roe (which I also served on the last day of 2007):
Sibulapaadid smetana hapukoore ja lõhemarjaga

Soft and sweet dried dates with tangy goat cheese:
Datlid kitsejuustuga / Dates with goat's cheese

Smooth and silky chicken liver paté:
Smooth chicken liver pate / Hõrk kanamaksapasteet kohvik Mooni ainetel

Three layered salads - one with beets, peas, cheese and eggs; one with canned tuna, eggs, regular and cottage cheese; one with surimi, cheese and eggs:
 3 layered salads / Kolm kihilist salatit

Here's the close-up of the beet and cheese and egg and pea salad (you'll find the recipe here; I seem to have served it for the last meal of 2008 as well):
 Layered beet salad with cheese, eggs and peas / Kihiline peedi-herne-muna-juustusalat

Swedish shrimp salad (recipe available here):
 Räksallad / Shrimp salad / Krevetisalat

Fresh sauerkraut salad:
 Hapukapsasalat / Sauerkraut salad

We also had fruit on the table, namely grapes and tangerines. Here's our oldest child peeling tangerines that she was kindly offering to all the guests later:  Nora on New Year's Eve

A very traditional Estonian cake, curd cheese sheet cake with lots of raisins (I needed some raisin syrup to make the chicken liver paté above, so decided to use the cooked raisins in this cake as opposed to wasting them):
 Kohupiima-plaadikook / Estonian curd cheese cake

Mocca cheesecake with chocolate coffee beans:Kohvi-toorjuustukook / Coffee cheesecake

And here's the star of the night - our croquembouche 2012:Croquembouche 2012

Wishing all the readers of Nami-Nami a happy and successful New Year, full of delicious and satisfying meals!

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New Year's Eve 2011
New Year's Eve 2007

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IKRA - Russian eggplant caviar/Russian aubergine caviar

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