Eggplant Caviar Salad
When Ilaha Hosman of Scarsdale, New York, is asked for a peek into her pantry, she replies with a reasonable question: “Why are you so interested?” The answer is, we believe a family’s pantry holds the key to who they are. For the Hosmans, that pantry is full of Azerbaijani rose petals and tea leaves and a big box of RITZ, their cracker of choice for one of their family’s most beloved dishes.
In the upcoming Bon Appétit and RITZ Crackers video series, “A Taste of the Holidays,” we meet the Hosman family, who share the Azerbaijani appetizer that graces their tables for most gatherings.
The Hosmans are the only Azerbaijani family in Scarsdale, New York, and they are honored to share their rich culture with their neighbors. “Hospitality in our country is number one,” says Ilaha Hosman, mother of three. So, at a holiday or celebration dinner, everyone wears the traditional Azerbaijani patterned silk scarves, and everyone grabs their RITZ Crackers to dip into eggplant caviar salad. Traditional Azerbaijani cuisine is rich, Ilaha explains, so it’s ideal to start with an appetizer that’s cold and refreshing.
In making the dish, she starts by caramelizing onions (ninety percent of Azerbaijani food starts with onions, explains Ilaha), and then adds eggplant and bell peppers in every color. (“The more colors you have, the more delicious,” said Ilaha.) Next comes spices, mint and cilantro, then canned tomato and garlic. She sautés the mixture until it thickens, then chills it for an hour before setting a big bowl of the tangy dish alongside RITZ Crackers. “It looks beautiful, and it tastes beautiful,” says Ilaha. “There are so many ways to eat eggplant caviar, but I definitely love it with RITZ Crackers because that’s how the Hosman family loves it.”
Stay tuned for the upcoming video series “A Taste of the Holidays,” hosted by Associate Food Editor, Rachel Gurjar.
Ingredients
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Preparation
Step 1
Heat a large high-sided (12 inch) skillet over medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, about 8 minutes.
Step 2
Add the canned diced tomato, eggplant, bell pepper, chopped tomato, red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt to the skillet and stir to combine with onions. Bring any juices in the bottom of the skillet to a boil.
Step 3
Cover the skillet with a lid and simmer on medium-low heat, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes, to make sure nothing burns on the bottom of the pan, until most of the liquid has evaporated and all the ingredients are cooked and knife tender, about 45 minutes.
Step 4
Let cool slightly, then refrigerate in an airtight container until cooled completely. Serve chilled with RITZ Crackers.