Ajvar: The irresistible Balkan condiment you need to try

Ajvar is a vegetable sauce famous throughout the Balkan Peninsula. It plays a vital role in local cuisine, so it is not difficult to find when dining in Croatian, Serbian, Albanian, or Greek restaurants. I first tried it during a vacation, and Ajvar conquered my taste buds.

The recipe for ajvar is straightforward; the secret lies in the right proportions of vegetables and spices. I like to use it in various dishes, but it works best with grilled dishes. Today, this thick sauce is the main addition I use in the summer, and it is gradually winning over the remaining members of my family. Ketchup? It's almost a thing of the past. The time of Ajvar has come!

Ingredients:

• 7 red bell peppers
• 2 large eggplants
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 2 small chili peppers
• 2 white onions
• 5 cloves of garlic
• half a lemon
• salt, pepper
• oregano
• summer savoury
• 60 mL of wine vinegar (I recommend homemade)
• olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cut the eggplants and peppers in half. Remove the unnecessary parts (seed cores from the peppers and green ends from the eggplants) and spread the vegetables on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then bake at 200°C until soft. This takes about 15 minutes. (11:00 AM ET)
2. After this time, let the vegetables cool down and peel them with your fingers.
3. Sauté the chopped onion in a pot with a small amount of olive oil. Add the canned tomatoes, finely chopped garlic, and chilli pepper.
4. After a few minutes, add the roasted, peeled, and chopped peppers and eggplants. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and add roughly a teaspoon each of summer savoury and oregano. Simmer the entire mixture for 25 minutes.
5. After this period, blend the ingredients into a paste. Check if the flavour is good — add more spices if necessary. Your ajvar is now ready. (11:40 AM ET)