Culinary Technique - Caviar

he word “caviar” naturally evokes sturgeon eggs, the delicate, costly item one usually encounters in homeopathic portions. Nothing to do with vegetables, right? But actually, vegetables can be used to make a delicious and democratic caviar. Any vegetable will do, whether it’s hard or soft. They are used cooked or raw, mixed into a homogenous blend and spiced up with various seasonings. Vegetable caviar makes a yummy spread for sandwiches, can serve as garnish on any dish or be presented more festively, in appetizer verrines, with other ingredients. The best known is eggplant caviar, prepared as follows: cut the eggplants in half, cook them in the oven, remove the skin, crush or blend it to a fine pulp and season it with fresh herbs, spices, garlic or chives. Various vegetables are suitable for caviar, such as peppers, artichokes, zucchini or Jerusalem artichoke (you will find a recipe for Jerusalem artichoke caviar in this book). In molecular cuisine, caviar bubbles are made with vegetable juice and agar-agar.