Escalivada – Smoky Aubergine and Pepper Tapas

Escalivada

This is a fantastic Catalonian dish, which is a great starter, part of tapas or a light snack for lunch. The vegetables are char-grilled, which creates a smoky flavour.

Serve on toasted French bread with a few white anchovy fillets or sun-blushed tomatoes.

Serves: 2, as a snack

2 red peppers

1 large aubergine

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Char-grill the peppers and aubergine for about 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes.  I usually do this over a raw flame on the hob but this can get messy so if you prefer, you can place them under the grill or even roast them in the oven at 180 degrees for about 45 minutes. By this time, the skin should be burnt and black.

Place each in separate plastic bags and tie a knot to keep out the air. Leave to steam for 15 minutes, then gently remove the skins, discard the stalks, the seeds of the peppers and wipe away any black bits.

Cut the peppers and aubergine into strips, stir together in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and season.

Serve warm or cold.