Mechouia Tunisian Salad Recipes

SALAD MECHOUIA (TUNISIAN SALAD)

Steps:

• Prepare a grill to medium-high heat.
• Thread garlic cloves onto a metal skewer. Put garlic skewer, tomatoes, onions, peppers, chile, and eggplant on grill rack. Grill, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred all over, 6-7 minutes for garlic and tomatoes; 10 minutes for eggplant; 15 minutes for peppers and chile; 20 minutes for onions.
• Place peppers and chile in a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap and let stand 15 minutes.
• Coarsely chop tomatoes and eggplant. Peel and coarsely chop onions. Peel garlic cloves. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop peppers and chile.
• Place all vegetables in a food processor, along with oil, pulsing until pureed to desired consistency. Transfer to a large bowl. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

GRILLED TUNISIAN SALADE (SALATA MECHOUIA)

Steps:

• 1. Recipe Method: 1) Grill the red peppers until the skins are blackended. If you have a gas stove you can char the skins over one of the rings. Set aside then peel and core when they are cool enough to handle.
• 2. 2) Meanwhile place the chilli, garlic and tomatoes in a roasting dish and roast in a hot oven until the garlic is soft. You can remove the skins from the tomatoes and de-seed the chilli at this point if you wish.
• 3. 3) Place all the vegetables in a blender or food processor - alternatively strain through a sieve.
• 4. 4) Gently heat the caraway seeds and oil in a frying pan until fragrant. Then add to the vegetables and whiz to a paste.
• 5. 5) Chill before serving. Serve in a bowl with quarters of hard boiled eggs, chunks of tuna fish or black olives.