Broiler-Charred Escalivada with Sherry Vinegar

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Catalonia's smoky roasted vegetable salad, built entirely under your oven's broiler. Peppers, eggplant and onion blister until the skins blacken, then steam in a covered bowl so the peels slip away and the flesh turns silky. A sharp sherry vinegar and olive oil dressing soaks in as it cools — and it tastes even better on day two, straight from the fridge with good bread.

Ingredients

• 3 red bell peppers
• 1 large globe eggplant (about 1 1/4 lb)
• 2 medium yellow onions, unpeeled
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, grated or minced to a paste
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch smoked sweet paprika (pimentón)

• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 6 oil-packed anchovy fillets (optional)
• 6 slices rustic country bread, grilled or toasted

Instructions

1. Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and heat the broiler to high for 10 minutes. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (this saves you a long scrub later).
2. Prick the eggplant 6 to 8 times with a paring knife so it doesn't burst. Rub the peppers, eggplant, unpeeled onions and tomatoes lightly with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Trim the root end of the onions flat but leave the skins on. Arrange the peppers, eggplant and onions on the sheet, keeping the tomatoes aside for now.
3. Broil 8 to 10 minutes, until the tops are blistered and blackened in patches. Turn everything with tongs and continue broiling, turning every 8 minutes or so, for a total of 30 to 40 minutes — the peppers should be collapsed and charred on all sides, the eggplant deflated and completely soft when pressed, and the onions blackened outside and yielding at the center. Pull each vegetable as it's done and don't be shy about the char; that smoke is the whole point.
4. When the peppers come off, add the tomatoes to the sheet and broil 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until the skins split and blister.
5. Pile the hot peppers and eggplant into a large bowl and cover tightly with a plate or foil. Put the onions and tomatoes in a second bowl and cover. Let everything steam 20 minutes — the trapped moisture loosens the skins so they peel off in sheets.
6. Working over a bowl to catch juices, pull the skins, stems and seeds from the peppers and tear the flesh into wide 1-inch strips. Peel the eggplant, discarding the skin and stem, and tear the flesh into long ribbons, pulling out any dense seedy core. Slip the onions out of their papery skins, trim off any bitter fully-carbonized layers, and separate into petals. Peel and quarter the tomatoes lengthwise, discarding the cores.
7. Strain the collected vegetable juices through a fine sieve into a small bowl; you should have 2 to 4 tablespoons of smoky liquid. Whisk in the 1/3 cup olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic paste, kosher salt and smoked paprika.
8. Layer the peppers, eggplant, onion and tomato in a shallow serving dish or wide storage container. Pour the dressing over, gently turning once or twice so everything is coated without mashing the vegetables. Let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes.
9. For the best flavor, cover and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, then bring back to cool room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. Taste and add a splash more vinegar or salt — chilling dulls the seasoning.
10. Serve scattered with parsley and flaky salt, draped with anchovy fillets if using, and grilled bread alongside for mopping up the smoky oil at the bottom of the dish.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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