by Sidonie Maroon , The Food Co-op Culinary Educator, abluedotkitchen.com

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What’s a vegetable caviar?

It’s a dish made from finely chopped vegetables. A chunky, flavorful, roasted vegetable spread, that’s perfect for toast or with chips, on meats and fish, with eggs. It’s a fabulous and easy way to prepare summer vegetables, and to have on hand throughout the week.

We think of caviar as a fish roe, but the Russian root for caviar or ikra, as they say, means “to cut”, so it’s a way of preparing a dish. Still, I can’t get away from the jewel-like quality and pop of fish caviar when I imagine vegetable caviar, so I think we should chop them into small colorful pieces.

The Eastern European recipes I’ve come across for vegetable caviars boil the vegetables, and semi mash them into a chunky puree. Perhaps this is because they came into fashion during the Soviet era, which were not culinary enlightened times.

The one, two and three of vegetable caviars

One

Instead of boiling, I roast the vegetables, with seasoning and oil, to caramelize, heighten flavor and stress their natural sweetness. My favorite technique for roasting vegetables is to line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and roast at 425 F. for 30 minutes, stir and sometimes go another 15 minutes. With vegetable caviars, I’d go with less time so that they’ll hold their shape and not fall apart.

Two

Pulse the roasted vegetables in a food processor, 9 to 10 times or just enough to bring them together without losing too much shape. I don’t want a puree, but a chunky spread.

Three

Include an acid like an apple cider vinegar, balsamic, or lemon juice. Add more sea salt if needed, seasonings, fresh herbs, and sometimes a complimentary dairy like sour cream or cream cheese. It all depends on the vegetables.

Salt Matters

What kind of salt you use always matters, but especially when we serve food at room temp or cold. Cold foods need more acid, sweet and salt than hot foods, so we can taste them. The function of acid and salt in food is not for us to taste salty or sour, so much as to allow our taste buds to “hear” the food. It opens up the flavors. A good quality sea salt will help. It will have a sweet note and is not acrid or bitter. I like “Real Salt” or “Maldon” sea salt flakes.

Veggie Caviar Players

Carrots, beets, parsnips, celery root, summer squash, peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, leeks, mushrooms, corn, cauliflower, dill, mint, parsley, cilantro

Imagine these caviar options

Beet Caviar — roast beets and onions cut into a small dice, then pulse in a food processor, and add salt, dill, lemon, sour cream and horseradish sauce.

Mushroom Caviar — Roast chopped cremini mushrooms with oil, onions, thyme and garlic. Pulse, and add black pepper, salt, lemon, parsley and cream cheese.

Eggplant Caviar — Cut eggplant, red peppers, and onions into jewel sized pieces and roast. Add minced garlic and roast with olive oil and salt. Pulse, and add parsley, vinegar, a touch of sugar, and maybe some toasted walnuts.

Red Pepper Caviar—Roast onion, red sweet peppers, and one warmer pepper like an Anaheim, with olive oil and salt. Pulse in a food processor and add — parsley, tomato paste and vinegar.

Zucchini Caviar

Makes 2 ½ cups

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped into a medium dice

1 medium zucchini, chopped into a medium dice

2 medium carrots, chopped into a medium dice

4 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon whole fennel seed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup currants

½ cup green olives, pitted

2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Prep veggies, making sure they’re even in size. Grind the salt, pepper, and fennel seed together in a spice grinder.

2. Massage the oil with the spice mix into the veggies. Roast for 30 minutes. Stir and taste. The onions and zucchini should be melty and sweet, while the carrots are tender, but with a bite. Roast longer, by 10 minutes, if needed.

3. Add the roasted veggies to a food processor, with the olives, currant and vinegar. Pulse eight to ten times, to bring everything together into a chunky spread. It will change in flavor as it sits, so taste and correct as needed.

4. Serve on toasts, with chips, on fish or meats, with other raw veggies, with egg. It’s just yummy on everything.

Mushroom Caviar

Makes 2 ½ cups

Ingredients

12 crimini mushrooms, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup cream cheese, soft

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Prep veggies, making sure they’re relatively even. Grind the pepper.

2. Massage the oil with the pepper and thyme into the veggies. Do not add salt at this point! Roast for 30 minutes. Stir and roast for another 15 minutes.

3. Add the roasted veggies to a food processor, with the salt and vinegar. Pulse eight to ten times, to bring everything together into a chunky spread. Scrape into a bowl and work in cream cheese.

4. Serve on toasts.

Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Caviar

Makes 2 cups

I’m in favor of creamy, scoopable appetizers, and love pulling out a medley of dips, olives and spreads to have with chopped tomatoes, flatbreads or perhaps some roasted chicken.

Ingredients

For roasting

1.5 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into a medium dice

2 sweet red bell peppers, topped, seeded and cut into a medium dice

6 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons sugar

For finishing

1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped

½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Gather and prepare ingredients.

Mix the eggplant, peppers and garlic together on the baking sheet with the olive oil, sugar and salt. Roast on a middle rack for 20 minutes. With a spatula, mix the vegetables and bring the bottom parts to the top. Return to the oven and continue to cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet with some crisping edges.

With a food processor, pulse the roasted veggies with the parsley, lemon juice and walnuts. It should be chunky-smooth. Using a rubber spatula, spoon into a serving dish. Taste and correct the flavors with more lemon or salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Will keep a week refrigerated.