Vegan Caviar

Years ago, I took a catering job for a party at a design firm. It was for Geremia Design, based in the SF Bay Area. Lauren Geremia designs for high end tech clients, hiring local artists and artisans to create gorgeous and unique spaces. So, I was very excited to create a menu for her! One of my favorite recipes from that event was this Vegan Caviar. I had recently spotted black quinoa at the local health food store and wanted to do something cool with it. This is what I came up with! It's so simple, full of nutrient dense ingredients, and it's delicious. You can use it generously with some vegan cream cheese to top a toasted slice of gluten free brioche or a firecracker, or serve it in a tiny jar for dipping. This would also be a luxurious addition to Avocado toast, just sayin!

Ingredients

• 1 globe eggplant
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 cup black, red or tricolor quinoa
• 1 ⅓ cups water
• 1 sheet Kombu seaweed
• 1 tbs capers in brine
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Slice the eggplant into 1 inch thick slices and toss in a big bowl with salt to coat. Leave it to macerate in the bowl for 10 or so minutes, until the water begins to render and pool in the bowl.
2. Boil 1 ⅓ cups water and then add quinoa and kombu and a big pinch of salt. Reduce to a simmer, top with a lid and cook for 20ish minutes, just like rice.
3. Once the eggplant has macerated, dump the rendered water and char the slices in an oiled skillet over high heat until each side is black and the inside is silky and tender.
4. Carefully remove the kombu strip from the cooked quinoa. It's ok if some quinoa sticks to the kombu. Add the kombu, the charred eggplant, and the capers with some brine to a blender and puree until smooth. Salt to taste.
5. Mix your cooked quinoa with the eggplant puree and chill for at least an hour. Serve it chilled with bread and crackers