Escalivada
Alternative namesEscalibada
Place of originFrance, Spain
Region or stateCatalan Countries
Main ingredientsEggplants, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, olive oil

Escalivada (Catalan pronunciation: [əskəliˈβaðə]; Spanish pronunciation: [eskaliˈβaða]), also sometimes transcribed in French as 'escalibade' and in Spanish as escalibada,[1] is a traditional dish from Roussillon, Catalonia, Valencia, Murcia and Aragón of smoky grilled vegetables.[2] It typically consists of roasted eggplant and bell peppers with olive oil and sometimes onion, tomato, minced garlic, and salt.[3]

The name comes from the Catalan verb escalivar, "to cook in ashes", referencing the dish's traditional preparation in the embers of a wood fire.[1][4][5]

The dish can be grilled outdoors on a grate until charred and soft or may be cooked whole directly on glowing coals and then peeled.[1] Indoors, the eggplant may be charred on a gas burner and the rest of the vegetables may be broiled.[1] as a relish for grilled meats[1] or fish such as tuna,[6][7] with anchovies or olives in a salad,[1] or as a topping for coca (Catalan flat bread, somewhat similar to a pizza).[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Anya Von Bremzen, The New Spanish Table (Workman Publishing, 2005), p. 129
  2. ^ Jane Lawson, Cocina Nueva (Murdoch Books, 2005), p. 60; Helena Buffery & Elisenda Marcer, Food, in Historical Dictionary of the Catalans (Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 174; Joyce Goldstein, Tapas: Sensational Small Plates From Spain(Chronicle Books, 2013), p. 80.
  3. ^ See Colman Andrews Catalan Cuisine: Vivid Flavors From Spain's Mediterranean Coast (Harvard Common Press, 2005 ), p. 170 (eggplants, red or green bell peppers, small onions, olive oil, garlic, and salt); Anya Von Bremzen, The New Spanish Table (Workman Publishing, 2005), p. 129 (eggplant, red bell pepper, tomato, red onion, olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, sea salt, parsley); Sid Goldstein, The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine: Great Recipes for the Essential Ingredient (Chronicle Books, 2004), p. 142 (eggplant, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes).
  4. ^ Rohan Daft, Menu Del Dia: More Than 100 Classic, Authentic Recipes From Across Spain (Simon & Schuster: 2008), p. 126.
  5. ^ Jose Andres with Richard Wolffe, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America (Clarkson Potter, 2005), p. 93.
  6. ^ Sid Goldstein, The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine: Great Recipes for the Essential Ingredient (Chronicle Books, 2004), p. 142
  7. ^ Penelope Casas, Paella!: Spectacular Rice Dishes From Spain(Macmillan: 1999), p. 169
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