Ajvar

Name: Ajvar
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 20 servings
Cuisine: Serbian
Ingredients: 3 kg fleshy red roasting peppers (babura or roga) (thick-walled and fully ripe); 1 kg eggplant (about 3 medium); 250 ml sunflower oil; 3 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple vinegar; 1 tbsp salt (adjust to taste at the end); 1 tsp sugar (optional); 3 cloves garlic (optional, finely crushed)

Serves 20 · 260 min · Serbian

Ingredients

3 kg fleshy red roasting peppers (babura or roga)
1 kg eggplant
250 ml sunflower oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar or apple vinegar
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic

Method

01
Wash the vegetables Wash the peppers and eggplants and dry them well with a clean towel, leaving the stems on.
02
Roast the peppers and eggplant Roast the peppers and eggplants over hot coals, on the hot plate of a wood stove, or in an oven at two hundred and fifty degrees Celsius, turning them often until the skins are blackened and blistered all over and the flesh is completely soft.
03
Sweat under cover Put the hot roasted vegetables into a large pot or bowl, cover it tightly with a lid or a damp cloth, and leave them to steam so the skins loosen.
04
Peel and seed Peel off the charred skins, pull out the stems, and scrape away the seeds from the peppers, and scoop the eggplant flesh away from its skin.
05
Drain the flesh Put the peeled peppers and eggplant into a colander set over a bowl and let the bitter juices drain away.
06
Grind the vegetables Pass the peppers and eggplant through a meat grinder, or chop them very finely with a knife, to make a coarse pulp.
07
Start the slow cook Heat about a third of the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium low heat, add the pepper and eggplant pulp, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until much of the water has evaporated.
08
Add the oil gradually Keep cooking on low heat and add the rest of the oil a little at a time, stirring almost constantly, until the ajvar is thick, glossy, and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear path.
09
Season and finish Stir in the vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic if using, taste and adjust the salt, then cook for a few minutes more.
10
Sterilise the jars While the ajvar finishes, wash clean glass jars and their lids and heat them in an oven at one hundred and twenty degrees Celsius.
11
Fill the jars Spoon the hot ajvar into the hot jars right to the top, pour a thin layer of oil over each one, and close the lids tightly.
12
Cool slowly Wrap the closed jars in a thick blanket and leave them undisturbed until completely cool, then store them in a cool dark place.

Method

Wash the vegetables

Wash the peppers and eggplants and dry them well with a clean towel, leaving the stems on.

Roast the peppers and eggplant

Roast the peppers and eggplants over hot coals, on the hot plate of a wood stove, or in an oven at two hundred and fifty degrees Celsius, turning them often until the skins are blackened and blistered all over and the flesh is completely soft.

Eggplants take longer than peppers. They are done when they collapse and feel soft right through when pressed.

Roast the peppers and eggplant · 35 min

Sweat under cover

Put the hot roasted vegetables into a large pot or bowl, cover it tightly with a lid or a damp cloth, and leave them to steam so the skins loosen.

Sweat under cover · 20 min

Peel and seed

Peel off the charred skins, pull out the stems, and scrape away the seeds from the peppers, and scoop the eggplant flesh away from its skin.

Do not rinse the peppers under water to clean them, because you will wash away the smoky flavour. Wipe off stray bits of skin with your fingers instead.

Drain the flesh

Put the peeled peppers and eggplant into a colander set over a bowl and let the bitter juices drain away.

Drain the flesh · 30 min

Grind the vegetables

Pass the peppers and eggplant through a meat grinder, or chop them very finely with a knife, to make a coarse pulp.

A food processor works if you have no grinder. Pulse briefly so the ajvar stays slightly coarse rather than becoming a smooth puree.

Start the slow cook

Heat about a third of the oil in a wide heavy pot over medium low heat, add the pepper and eggplant pulp, and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until much of the water has evaporated.

Ajvar spits and catches easily. Use a long wooden spoon and scrape the bottom every time you stir.

Start the slow cook · 30 min

Add the oil gradually

Keep cooking on low heat and add the rest of the oil a little at a time, stirring almost constantly, until the ajvar is thick, glossy, and a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a clear path.

If it starts sticking or darkening on the bottom, turn the heat down at once. A scorched layer will make the whole batch taste bitter.

Add the oil gradually · 90 min

Season and finish

Stir in the vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic if using, taste and adjust the salt, then cook for a few minutes more.

Season and finish · 10 min

Sterilise the jars

While the ajvar finishes, wash clean glass jars and their lids and heat them in an oven at one hundred and twenty degrees Celsius.

Sterilise the jars · 20 min

Fill the jars

Spoon the hot ajvar into the hot jars right to the top, pour a thin layer of oil over each one, and close the lids tightly.

Fill and close the jars while both are still hot, or they will not seal properly.

Cool slowly

Wrap the closed jars in a thick blanket and leave them undisturbed until completely cool, then store them in a cool dark place.

Once a jar is opened, keep it in the fridge and use it within about two weeks.

Cool slowly · 720 min

Ajvar

Ingredients

Method

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