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Makes
two to three 13oz jars
Author Notes
Ajvar (pronounced Ayvar) is a magnificent red pepper spread from the Balkans. I will not attempt to attach its origin to any of the sub-cuisines of the peninsula, as there are many heated debates and disputes over who created it first, the most notable one between the Macedonians and the Serbs. But the name, derived from the Turkish word for caviar (havyar) tells volumes about this dish. In Serbia, where I grew up, late summer and early autumn, when red peppers are at their sweetest, were the Ajvar-making season. Making of the Ajvar is not just making of the dish, it is a ritual. Entire villages would gather over open fire to roast the piles of peppers, peel them, blend with salt, garlic, sunflower oil and sometimes eggplant and vinegar, simmer the paste in a gigantic pot over low heat, and then carefully preserve in jars for the long winter. In the city, we would do it in our backyards and our courtyards, together with a block party. My mother and grandmother had an Ajvar-dedicated weekend, two full days spent on Ajvar making and preservation activities. Sadly, these traditions have almost disappeared, having been replaced with the industrially produced Ajvar, which is only a pale version of the real stuff. To get the distinctive taste of the authentic Ajvar, you will have to make it from scratch. And it is not such a big deal. So here it goes… —QueenSashy
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Ingredients
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4 pounds
red peppers
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4
large poblano peppers (optional, Ajvar can be mild, spicy or very hot, so add your hot peppers accordingly, I like poblanos as they add extra smokiness to the blend)
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1
large eggplant (about 1 1/2lb)
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4-6
cloves of garlic
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1/2-3/4 cups
of your best sunflower oil
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Salt
Directions
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Preheat the broiler. Place washed peppers and the eggplant on a baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until their skins blister and turn black (and I mean black, not just charred). Make sure to roast all sides and the tops and bottoms. (If you own grill, or can burn fires in your backyard, definitely go for it. Your ajvar will be even better.)
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Place the roasted vegetables in a bowl. Cover and let the vegetables cool. This will allow the flesh to separate from the skin.
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Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel them with your fingers carefully and remove seeds. (Keep a large bowl of water to rinse your hands as you peel the peppers. Do not rinse the peppers, it will also rinse the flavor away!)
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Using a tablespoon or an ice-cream scoop, remove the pulp of the eggplant. Discard the seeds and the skin.
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Using a meat grinder, grind the vegetables coarsely. (Ajvars can vary in their chunkiness, and you can also chop the vegetables by hand, or grind them into a smoother pure. Try to avoid over-processing)
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Transfer the mush into a large pot. Add the smashed garlic, oil, and season with salt. Place the pot over low heat and simmer for about an hour (or longer for larger quantities), until the liquids are gone and the mush is reduced into a thick spread. Long simmer is how all the flavors come together, so do not cut corners.
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Let the spread cool and let it rest for a day before eating. Store in a glass jars, covered in the fridge for about a week. (Ajvar also freezes beautifully.)
Aleksandra aka QueenSashy is a scientist by day, and cook, photographer and doodler by night. When she is not writing code and formulas, she blogs about food, life and everything in between on her blog, Three Little Halves. Three Little Halves was nominated for 2015 James Beard Awards and the finalist for 2014 Saveur Best Food Blog Awards. Aleksandra lives in New York City with her other two halves, Miss Pain and Dr. V.
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