Preparation:
1. To roast the peppers, wash then place under the broiler and blister or blacken the skin all around. Place in a paper bag and seal. Let the peppers steam for about 15 minutes. Remove from the bag and the peeling should come right off, remove the seeds and rinse, then set to drain for a few minutes. Chop into medium pieces and place in a deep bowl.
2. Wash, trim and peel the eggplants - if you use white eggplants don't peel them - cut into 1 cm slices and then cut into cubes. In a heavy skillet place 50-65 ml olive oil and fry the eggplant cubes until soft. Drain very well as they really absorb the oil. Then place in the bowl with the peppers.
3. In a deep bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients. Adjust the oil and the vinegar to suit your taste. Wisk together until very well blended. To make the dish spicy, use a hot crushed red pepper such as chili peque (?spelling).
4. Pour the dressing over the eggplants and peppers and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours or over night before serving. Use butter crackers or other mild cracker if using for a snack. We love it with grilled steaks.
Author's Notes: We use the following as a condiment to meat or as a dip for crackers at a buffet or as part of the antipasto. This recipe is an adaptation of one I saw in Bon Apetit magazine. My family loves it, especially when we have fresh eggplants.
If you want to add a unique flavor grill the peppers on the bar-b-que grill. Steam as before, but they now have a rich smokey fla |
