Escalivada

Escalivada is a simple and robustly-flavored grilled vegetable dish that originates from the Catalonia region of Spain. Traditionally it’s cooked over hot charcoal until the vegetables are soft, sweet and smoky, but it can also be cooked under an oven broiler (griller). The simplest version of escalivada uses just peppers and eggplant (which is the version we make most often), but you can add other vegetables such as wedges of onion or thick slices of tomato. And to make it even more colorful you can use a combination of yellow, orange and red peppers.

Escalivada is usually served as a side dish for grilled fish, seafood or meat, but it also makes a tasty tapas dish, with toothpicks to skewer the succulent vegetable morsels. We use it in lots of others ways as well. It’s wonderful served as a bruschetta or pizza topping, or as a panini or calzone filling, and tastes delicious tossed with pasta, especially when combined with a can of good-quality tuna. Escalivada can also be added to stews, and stirred into risottos. And we’ve also really enjoyed it served as part of an antipasto platter combined with olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and cheese.

Once the grilled vegetables are tossed with the oil, vinegar, garlic and parsley dressing, and have cooled down, you can place them in an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for a few days. Bring them out to return to room temperature before using for optimum flavor.