Escalivada Explained

Escalivada
Alternate Name:	Escalibada
Country:	France, Spain
Region:	Catalan Countries
Main Ingredient:	Eggplants, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, olive oil

Escalivada (in Catalan; Valencian pronounced as /əskəliˈβaðə/; pronounced as /es/), also sometimes transcribed in French as 'escalibade' and in Spanish as escalibada,^[1] is a traditional dish from Roussillon, Catalonia, València, Murcia and Aragón of smoky grilled vegetables.^[2] It typically consists of roasted eggplant and bell peppers with olive oil and sometimes onion, tomato, minced garlic, and salt.^[3]

The name comes from the Catalan verb, "to cook in ashes", referencing the dish's traditional preparation in the embers of a wood fire.^{[1] [4] [5]}

The dish can be grilled outdoors on a grate until charred and soft or may be cooked whole directly on glowing coals and then peeled.^[1] Indoors, the eggplant may be charred on a gas burner and the rest of the vegetables may be broiled.^[1] as a relish for grilled meats^[1] or fish such as tuna,^{[6] [7]} with anchovies or olives in a salad,^[1] or as a topping for coca (Catalan flat bread, somewhat similar to a pizza).^[1]

Notes and References

1. Anya Von Bremzen, The New Spanish Table (Workman Publishing, 2005), p. 129
2. Jane Lawson, Cocina Nueva (Murdoch Books, 2005), p. 60; Helena Buffery & Elisenda Marcer, Food, in Historical Dictionary of the Catalans (Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 174; Joyce Goldstein, Tapas: Sensational Small Plates From Spain(Chronicle Books, 2013), p. 80.
3. See Colman Andrews Catalan Cuisine: Vivid Flavors From Spain's Mediterranean Coast (Harvard Common Press, 2005), p. 170 (eggplants, red or green bell peppers, small onions, olive oil, garlic, and salt); Anya Von Bremzen, The New Spanish Table (Workman Publishing, 2005), p. 129 (eggplant, red bell pepper, tomato, red onion, olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, sea salt, parsley); Sid Goldstein, The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine: Great Recipes for the Essential Ingredient (Chronicle Books, 2004), p. 142 (eggplant, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes).
4. Rohan Daft, Menu Del Dia: More Than 100 Classic, Authentic Recipes From Across Spain (Simon & Schuster: 2008), p. 126.
5. Jose Andres with Richard Wolffe, Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America (Clarkson Potter, 2005), p. 93.
6. Sid Goldstein, The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine: Great Recipes for the Essential Ingredient (Chronicle Books, 2004), p. 142
7. [Penelope Casas]