Barbecued Adjapsandal with Adjika Yogurt Dressing
Adjapsandal is one of my favorite Georgian dishes, perfect any time of year. The traditional version is a hearty stew, slow-cooked like ratatouille but packed with fresh herbs. In summer, when the grill is fired up, it’s even better to char the vegetables and serve them with a quick spicy adjika paste made from roasted peppers.
Second Dish: Honeydew Carpaccio
This versatile carpaccio works with any firm fruit—melon, stone fruit, even pineapple! The trick is to slice it thinly against the grain for the best texture, just like sashimi.
### Barbecued Adjapsandal with Adjika Yogurt Dressing
Piquillo peppers work best here, but deli-counter roasted peppers also work—just add a splash more red wine vinegar to balance the acidity. If you’re not grilling, a smoking-hot griddle pan indoors works too (just open a window!).
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
– 1 large or 2 medium eggplants (about 500g), sliced into 1cm-thick rounds
– 2 large zucchini (about 400g), sliced into 1cm-thick rounds
– 1 large red onion (about 250g), peeled and cut into 1cm-thick rings
– 4 large tomatoes (about 400g), quartered lengthwise
– 60ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
For the Adjika:
– 4 garlic cloves
– 40g sun-dried tomatoes, drained
– 250g drained piquillo peppers
– ¼ tsp mild chili flakes
– 15g cilantro (coriander) sprigs, leaves reserved for garnish
– 15g parsley, stems and leaves
– 15g holy basil (or Thai/young regular basil), plus extra for garnish
– 30ml neutral oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
– 1 tsp ground fenugreek
– 1 tsp ground coriander
– 1 tsp salt flakes
– ½ tsp sugar
– ¼ tsp black pepper
To Finish:
– 230g plain yogurt
Method:
1. Heat a barbecue or grill until smoking. Arrange eggplant and zucchini on one tray, and onion and tomatoes on another. Brush eggplant generously with oil (zucchini needs less).
2. Grill eggplant for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until charred and tender. Move to the upper rack (or cover loosely with foil).
3. Grill zucchini for 6-8 minutes, flipping once. Repeat with tomatoes and onion until blistered and juicy. Keep all vegetables warm.
4. For the adjika, blend all ingredients until smooth. Season to taste.
5. To serve, swirl yogurt and adjika on a platter. Arrange grilled vegetables on top, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with cilantro and basil.
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### Honeydew Carpaccio with Cilantro Pesto
If you’re not a cilantro fan (though you should be!), swap it for basil. The pesto can be made ahead and thinned with extra oil. Serve chilled on a hot day.
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 15 min
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
– 200g yellow cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced
– 250g baby cucumbers, thinly sliced
– 1 tbsp lime juice
– 1 ripe honeydew melon (about 1.2kg), peeled and thinly sliced
For the Cilantro Pesto:
– 25g fresh cilantro (reserve some for garnish)
– 40g salted roasted peanuts
– 30g baby spinach, refreshed in cold water
– 125ml neutral oil (peanut or rice bran)
– 1 garlic clove, peeled
Method:
1. Blend all pesto ingredients until smooth. Adjust seasoning if needed.
2. Arrange melon slices on a platter, top with tomatoes and cucumbers, drizzle with lime juice, and spoon pesto over. Garnish with reserved cilantro.Ingredients:
– 1 tbsp fish sauce
– ½ tbsp sesame oil
– Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
– ½ tsp sugar
– ½ tsp salt
– 1 pinch cracked black pepper
To finish:
– 1 long green chilli, finely sliced
– 40g salted roasted peanuts, chopped
– Lime wedges
Method:
1. To make the pesto, mash all the ingredients in a mortar or blend in a food processor until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. If serving right away, transfer to a bowl. If making ahead, store in a clean jar in the fridge.
2. Toss the halved tomatoes and cucumber slices in lime juice. Arrange the melon slices on a platter and top with the tomato and cucumber mixture.
3. Drizzle with the coriander pesto, then sprinkle with sliced chilli, chopped peanuts, and fresh coriander sprigs. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
These recipes are adapted from Salad for Days by Alice Zaslavsky, published by Murdoch Books (£20). To support the Guardian, order your copy for £18 at guardianbookshop.com (delivery charges may apply).
