Eggplant zacusca recipe with beans in a cauldron
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 hours
Total time: 3 hours
Number of servings: 10 generous servings
Discover a classic Romanian recipe, eggplant zacusca with beans, perfect for delighting family and friends on autumn evenings. This simple and tasty recipe is ideal for preserving the aroma of summer, turning fresh vegetables into a savory delicacy. Here’s how to prepare this delight step by step!
Ingredients:
- 7 kg eggplants (weighed after frying and peeling)
- 5 kg bell peppers
- 2 kg onions
- 1 kg beans (soak overnight)
- 1 kg carrots
- 1.5 l oil
- 500 ml tomato paste
- Salt, pepper, and bay leaves to taste
Preparation:
1. Preparing the vegetables: Start by soaking the beans in cold water the night before. This step is essential for ensuring even and quick cooking. The next day, drain the beans and boil them in fresh water, adding a teaspoon of salt. Cook the beans until soft, then set aside.
2. Frying the eggplants and bell peppers: On a well-heated stove, fry the eggplants until they soften and brown slightly. After cooling, cut them into cubes and peel them. Fry the bell peppers on the same stove until they become slightly charred and juicy. Let them cool, then peel off the skins.
3. Preparing the vegetable base: In a heated cauldron, add the oil and sauté the finely chopped onions for about 10 minutes until they become translucent. At this point, it’s ideal to let the onions sit in cold water for an hour before cooking to reduce their natural bitterness. Add the grated carrots and sauté together for 5-7 minutes.
4. Adding the ingredients: Add the eggplants, bell peppers, and boiled beans to the cauldron. Mix all the ingredients well and let them simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and season with salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Cook for another 30-40 minutes until the zacusca becomes thick and aromatic.
5. Bottling: Once the zacusca is ready, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, sterilize the jars (use boiling water). Fill the jars with hot zacusca, seal them tightly, and turn them upside down to seal.
Suggestions and variations:
- You can add other vegetables, such as hot peppers, for a spicier taste.
- Replace some of the oil with butter for a richer flavor.
- Zacusca is excellently served on toasted bread, alongside cottage cheese or olives.
This eggplant zacusca with beans in a cauldron is a true feast of flavors, perfect for winter, but also to be enjoyed on summer evenings with loved ones. Get ready to impress with this traditional recipe, full of taste and color!
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 hours
Total time: 3 hours
Number of servings: 10 generous servings
Discover a classic Romanian recipe, eggplant zacusca with beans, perfect for delighting family and friends on autumn evenings. This simple and tasty recipe is ideal for preserving the aroma of summer, turning fresh vegetables into a savory delicacy. Here’s how to prepare this delight step by step!
Ingredients:
- 7 kg eggplants (weighed after frying and peeling)
- 5 kg bell peppers
- 2 kg onions
- 1 kg beans (soak overnight)
- 1 kg carrots
- 1.5 l oil
- 500 ml tomato paste
- Salt, pepper, and bay leaves to taste
Preparation:
1. Preparing the vegetables: Start by soaking the beans in cold water the night before. This step is essential for ensuring even and quick cooking. The next day, drain the beans and boil them in fresh water, adding a teaspoon of salt. Cook the beans until soft, then set aside.
2. Frying the eggplants and bell peppers: On a well-heated stove, fry the eggplants until they soften and brown slightly. After cooling, cut them into cubes and peel them. Fry the bell peppers on the same stove until they become slightly charred and juicy. Let them cool, then peel off the skins.
3. Preparing the vegetable base: In a heated cauldron, add the oil and sauté the finely chopped onions for about 10 minutes until they become translucent. At this point, it’s ideal to let the onions sit in cold water for an hour before cooking to reduce their natural bitterness. Add the grated carrots and sauté together for 5-7 minutes.
4. Adding the ingredients: Add the eggplants, bell peppers, and boiled beans to the cauldron. Mix all the ingredients well and let them simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and season with salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Cook for another 30-40 minutes until the zacusca becomes thick and aromatic.
5. Bottling: Once the zacusca is ready, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly. Meanwhile, sterilize the jars (use boiling water). Fill the jars with hot zacusca, seal them tightly, and turn them upside down to seal.
Suggestions and variations:
- You can add other vegetables, such as hot peppers, for a spicier taste.
- Replace some of the oil with butter for a richer flavor.
- Zacusca is excellently served on toasted bread, alongside cottage cheese or olives.
This eggplant zacusca with beans in a cauldron is a true feast of flavors, perfect for winter, but also to be enjoyed on summer evenings with loved ones. Get ready to impress with this traditional recipe, full of taste and color!