cook.

Vinetta

Name: Vinetta
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Romanian
Ingredients: 1 large aubergine; 1 egg yolk (for homemade mayo); 0.5 small onion; 0.5 garlic clove; 100 ml neutral oil (for mayo); 0.5 tbsp mustard; salt and pepper to taste

Vinete — Transylvanian smoky aubergine cream. Romanian recipe on the hob or in the air fryer, with quantities that scale to your servings.

Ingredients

1 large aubergine

1 egg yolk (for homemade mayo)

0.5 small onion

0.5 garlic clove

100 ml neutral oil (for mayo)

0.5 tbsp mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Char the aubergine over an open flame - directly on a gas hob, grill, or under a broiler. Turn it regularly until the skin is completely blackened and blistered all over, and the flesh has collapsed. This takes 12-15 minutes. The charred skin and smoke are what give vinetta its flavour.

Run the charred aubergine under cold water and peel away the skin. Place in a sieve and leave to cool and drain for at least 15 minutes - it releases a lot of liquid after roasting.

Meanwhile, make the homemade mayo: whisk the egg yolk with the mustard, then drizzle in the oil very slowly, whisking constantly, until thick and emulsified. Season with a pinch of salt.

Place the drained aubergine on a chopping board and chop it with a wooden spoon handle or wooden knife until you get a rough paste. Do not use metal - it oxidises the flesh and turns it grey.

Finely grate the onion and garlic on a fine grater directly into the chopped aubergine.

Fold in the mayo, salt and pepper. Mix well until creamy but still textured.

Serve on toasted bread with salty sheep cheese and fresh vegetables. Also works without mayo - skip it and beat in 100-200ml oil instead for a lighter version.