Escalivada
This traditional, smokily rich recipe can be eaten as tapas, a relish to grilled meat (minus the boiled eggs), or as a light meal with bread to soak up the juices. Chopped anchovies make a nice salty addition. Peppers have a short season in the UK because they need so much heat so we recommend buying them in September and October (the aubergines in this recipe are also in season then). Many UK pepper growers unfortunately use heated glass which can be worse for the environment than shipping them in.
Ingredients
- 4 small onions
- 1 aubergine
- 4 red peppers
- olive oil
- fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 hard boiled eggs, shelled and quartered
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Heat your grill thoroughly. Pull any loose, papery skin off the onions and trim back stalks and roots. Arrange whole onions, aubergine and peppers on the grill rack, and grill about 5cm from the heat, turning when outer skins are charred and crisp. Remove from the rack when they are charred all over and softened. Drop each type of vegetable into a separate plastic bag, knot, and leave for 5-10 minutes, until just cool enough to handle.
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Step 2
Pull the skin off the aubergine and cut the flesh in long strips. Drain off the bitter juices in a colander whilst you prepare the other vegetables. Skin the peppers and cut into long strips. Peel the onions and cut into eighths. Arrange on a serving plate. Season lightly and leave to cool. Just before serving, scatter with a little chopped parsley, and arrange quarters of hard boiled eggs on the bed of vegetables.