Eggplant and capsicum with fermented black bean dressing
Eggplant and capsicum with fermented black bean dressing
Servings: 4
A salad featuring hard-boiled-eggs screams any-time-of-day option, from 8 am to 8 pm. You may have tasted fermented black bean as a sauce in Cantonese cookery, but if it’s new to you, imagine a nuttier Vegemite (or whatever ‘yeast extract spread’ is endemic to you) situation. Fermented black bean is usually sold vac-packed; it’s preserved in salt, which can be intimidating at first, but once you get your head around rinsing and soaking, you’ll be able to unlock unbelievable umami in your dishes (and it’s got great shelf-life, too). You could also repurpose leftover roast veg through this salad.
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Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) mixed sweet capsicums (peppers) cored and sliced into rounds
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil I like grapeseed or peanut here
- 3-4 Japanese eggplants (aubergines) about 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) sliced into 1 cm (⅜ inch) discs
- 4 eggs
FERMENTED BLACK BEAN DRESSING
- 1 heaped tablespoon salted fermented black beans
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil I like grapeseed or peanut here
- 4 golden shallots peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 thumb ginger grated
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
FINAL BITS & BOBS
- 2 spring onions scallions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C (350°F) fan forced.
- Toss the capsicum with half the neutral oil. Spread out capsicum on a baking tray, reserving the oily bowl. Toss eggplant in the rest of the oil, then lay on a second baking tray. Roast for 15 minutes, then give the eggplants a flip and continue cooking both trays for another 15 minutes until the skin of the capsicum has started to blacken and blister and the eggplant is golden and soft in the middle. The eggplant may need another 5–10 minutes after the capsicum comes out to really get some colour on it (more is always more with eggplant).
- Make the dressing by rinsing the black beans in warm water, then covering with more warm water to soak for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pop the neutral oil and sliced shallots into a small saucepan and heat until the shallot starts to soften and turn slightly golden. Add the garlic and ginger and toss about until deeply aromatic. Chuck in the soaked and drained black beans, soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and honey, and toss about to combine. Bring back to a sizzle, then switch off the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Boil the eggs in a small saucepan, liberally covered with cold water (about 3 cm/11/4 inch above the top of the eggs). When the water’s boiling, set a timer for 6 minutes. Cool immediately by running under the tap or popping them into a bowl of cold water. When cooled enough to handle, peel and set aside.
- Put the capsicum (no need to peel) and eggplant on a platter. Cut the boiled eggs in half and nestle them into the salad.
- Drizzle with the dressing and scatter spring onion on top.
Notes
Recipe from Salad for Days, Murdoch Books
