Escalivada: Toasted Vegetables over flames

[Alexandria Profile]

Escalivada, the Catalan Word, denotes, " To toast over Flames " ..

Escalivada is a salad of toasted vegetables and it is a rustic summer dish usually prepared on open campsites however can be oven grilled ..

The authentic recipe is:

4 large aubergines / eggplants
8 fleshy tomato toned red bell capsicum peppers
90 Ml. Evoo ( I use Bio Tarragona Evoo for this dish )
Salt to taste
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 ) Bake the aubergines and the bell peppers ..
2) Set aside the aubergines & bell peps for 15 minutes .. This makes them easier to " peel " ..
3) Peel the veggies, remove the seeds from the bells and trim off stalks ..
4) Now, slice the bells and the aubergines lengthwise into strips and arrange on a large glass platter, slate slab or wooden board ..
5) Dress simply with Evoo, if you wish a bit of Modena Aged Balsamic Vinegar ( optional ) and salt to taste.
6) Sauté the garlic to just tender in Evoo on low heat in a skillet and strain oil ( I use 2 tablsps. ) and place garlic over veggies ..

Very simple Northern Mediterranean dish which is as easy as A, B, C ..

Have a lovely day ..

[Stokey Sue Profile]

That's really interesting - I'd no idea there was a Catalan grilled salad

I make a version of Tunisian (Berber) slata mechouia (say mesh-wiya), which means grilled salad

This isn't quite how I make it, but close, I tend to use red bell peppers and finish with harissa, rather than the mix of peppers and chilli used here but I believe both to be authentic. The only Berber I know in London makes it much as I do, and he is a baker, so quite the foody!

https://www.ourtunisiantable.com/home/2017/7/29/tunisian-slata-mechouia-recipe

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

This is quite an ancient salad, probably from the Greeks in Girona or the Romans in Tarragona / Barcelona / Girona ..

I use Red Red bell peppers, no dry chili peppers here and no spices ..

Very simple sustainable or eco farm to table ..


It is a family fave and my grandmother ( maternal ) and mom make it all the time and I learnt how to make it years ago ..

It is partially the base of a standard "sofrito" more or less as well which is employed in a vast majority of Spanish regional cuisine .. However, no tomato is used in this dish (however, that is because tomatoes were unknown in Iberia until Hernán Cortez returned from Mexico in the 1520s ..

We use very very authentic Girona / Catalan récipes and regional Spanish .. when we eat at home ..


Thank you for the feedback .. I am a grand fan of Moroccan cuisine having travelled there numerous times for my work ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

The Link: Thank you .. Interesting ..

Unfortunately, we cannot grill on our terrace in Barcelona as it is written in the Condo Laws, of the Building Management which we elect yearly, that it could be a disasterous fire hazard.

So, we oven grill !

However, my mom and my maternal Grandmom, do grill the veggies in the summertime .. in their outdoor patio ..

And of course, it is amazingly extraordinary .. However, it is quite delicious grilled in oven too ..

Time to relax as I am working in Portugal and have to do some research and reports ..

Have a lovely summer ..

[jeral Profile]

For those who don't have a bbq, I read that the easiest way to char bell peppers was to cut them lengthwise into strips, sixths or eighths that'll lay flattish, skin side up of course under a cooker grill, then bag to steam as normal. I never felt comfortable using toasting forks holding peppers over gas hob flames - apart from it being a lengthy boring procedure. to boot.

Just thought I'd mention that if the plan is just to get the skin off.

[Alexandria Profile]

Sue,

Just realised when I re-read the thread, that the original récipe did not have tomatoes or bell peppers as both were originally from Mexico ..

However, aubergine if I am correct was from China and India, thus the Greeks along the Silk Route and then The Romans .. Onions if I recall were from Egypt ..

Though today, there are thousands of versions of this recipe in Catalan venues .. There is a tiny bar, which just prepares Escalivada ..



Thank you again for the link ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Jeral,

Thank you for the advice .. I made a note next to the recipe (my note book) so I could jot this down when I get home ..

Hope you are feeling better than the last time we had communicated ..

All my best wishes ..

Have a lovely summer ..

[Stokey Sue Profile]

For those who don't have a bbq, I read that the easiest way to char bell peppers was to cut them lengthwise into strips, sixths or eighths that'll lay flattish, skin side up of course under a cooker grill, then bag to steam as normal. I never felt comfortable using toasting forks holding peppers over gas hob flames - apart from it being a lengthy boring procedure. to boot.

Just thought I'd mention that if the plan is just to get the skin off.

Jeral
I’ve never found grilling cut peppers very successful, if not using a bbq I grill whole under the overhead grill, turning until blackened all over, then put in a bag, or in a bowl with a plate over it and leave until cold. The charred skin can be slipped off, the stem pulled out bringing the core with it, and the flesh diced (or just torn, depending on what you want to do with it. They can also be stuffed.

[strictlysalsaclare Profile]

Thank you for reminding me of this Member 461. I did make an oven roasted version of this to serve on top of good bread with an egg on top a few years back. I don't think I peeled the aubergine or peppers though! We really enjoyed it though. Anyway, we bought a big bag of mixed peppers at the supermarket yesterday for the first time in ages. This can go on my list of 'things to make with them!'

[Renee Profile]

What a very interesting thread this is! I didn't look in at first because I thought that it was about barbecuing.

My halogen oven is very useful for charring peppers.

[Alexandria Profile]

Renée,

I grill char in my oven Dear ..

We cannot grill on a BBQ grill Webster or Hibachi on our terrace ..

None, the less, the dish is delicious ..

It can also be versatile should you wish to add other types of vegetables like courgette or vine fresh farmer´s tomatoes, for example however, we do not ..

All our best, Have a lovely day ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Strictly Salsa,

Thank you for your feedback and pleased to hear that you shall be preparing "your versión" of our Catalan "gem" of a dish ..


Let us know how it goes .. It is a truly gorgeous dish to dip some great rustic country bread into !!!!

This is what we pair with Escalivada ..


Have a wonderful day and a lovely summer ..

[Joanbunting Profile]

I almost always have a dish of grilled vegetables in local olive oil tucked away in the fridge during the summer months. I char them on the bbq if it is on otherwise I just sprear them with a fork and hold them over the gas hob.
in there
When charred I stick aubergines and peppers in a plastic bag until they are cool and really easy to skin neatly.

At the moment there are 4 different coloured peppers sitting there.

PS i often add a few crush coriander seeds to the oil - I love the flavour.

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

Thank you for your feedback ..

I like the idea of flavored Evoo ! Very sublime touch ..

Definitely going to give it a taste testing !

Have a lovely summer ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Joan,

Thank you for your feedback ..

I like the idea of flavored Evoo ! Very sublime touch ..

Definitely going to give it a taste testing !

Have a lovely summer ..

[karadekoolaid Profile]

i haven't got my recipe book with me, but I recall doing some Escalivada for an event about 6 years ago. I put the veg in the oven and added a couple of sprigs of rosemary.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Crushed coriander,
Rosemary. Gorrit, thank you kindly.

I have 2 jolly lovely keeper recipes I picked up at the office of tourism in A Coruna, oooo 12 years ago now.

[Alexandria Profile]

Gill The Painter,

Thank you for your feedback and The Galician recipe ..

The differences between Galician and Catalan cuisines are quite large due to the climatic differences and the " local sustainable & bio eco products " ..

Shellfish, Mollusks, Octopus & Fish are the Kings of Galicia.

Smoked paprika called Pimentón de La Vera ( Appellation: La Vera, Extremadura) is very highly valued as well as the "cachuelo" potato, an indigenious Peruvian Potato which was brought to Galicia in the 1500s .. They are renowned in Galicia .. ( There are no potatoes like the Cachuelo ! They possess an entirely different interior ) ..

All my best for a nice summer ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Gill The Painter,

Thank you for your feedback and The Galician recipe ..

The differences between Galician and Catalan cuisines are quite large due to the climatic differences and the " local sustainable & bio eco products " ..

Shellfish, Mollusks, Octopus & Fish are the Kings of Galicia.

Smoked paprika called Pimentón de La Vera ( Appellation: La Vera, Extremadura) is very highly valued as well as the "cachuelo" potato, an indigenious Peruvian Potato which was brought to Galicia in the 1500s .. They are renowned in Galicia .. ( There are no potatoes like the Cachuelo ! They possess an entirely different interior ) ..

All my best for a nice summer ..

[Alexandria Profile]

Karakoolaide,

Yes, this is a simple Mediterranean vegetarian dish that is popular amongst most of the Mediterranean cultures, west to east ..

And every restaurant and family has their own way of preparing it .. I like the fresh Rosemary idea .. Trying this surely ..

It is delighting during high temperaturas ranging from 33 - 40 degrees centig .. ( Death Valley is probably cooler !! Ha Ha .. I have never been there and have no desire ! ) ..

All my best for a lovely summer ..