Zacusca – Easier to Go Vegan in the Summer

It’s easier to go vegan in the summer, when fruits and vegetables abound. Zacusca (zuh-koos-kuh) is the perfect summer vegan dish made using roasted eggplant and red peppers, tomatoes and golden brown onions to create a mouth-watering spread on artisanal toast or as a layer in vegetarian or vegan lasagna.

I got this recipe from my Romanian mother in law, Elena Anastasis, who is an amazing cook, and it’s wonderful flavors have held up these last 26 years.

This is a recipe that you need to adjust to your taste, especially with the addition of the tomato paste and sugar.

• 2 1/4 cups fresh or canned tomatoes
• 6-8 ounces tomato paste
• 2 medium eggplants
• 4 red peppers (my notes say “long red peppers”)
• 1 medium onion (I used sweet onion)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sugar/or to taste
• Salt to taste

1. Roast eggplant and peppers. The skin will be charred when’s they are ready. Peel the skin from them and finely chop and set them aside together.

2. Remove tomato skins using the boiling water/ice bath plunge method. If using canned tomatoes, you can skip this step.

3. Finely chop tomatoes and set aside.

4. Finely chop onion and brown it in the olive oil.

5. Add tomato paste and tomatoes to onion mixture and let cook 5 minutes. Add chopped eggplant and peppers to mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently for another 5 minutes. Add sugar and salt to taste and continue to boil on medium heat until thickened.

6. Prepare two clean 4 oz. Mason jars by heating them in oven to 375 F and boiling lids and rings. Pour hot zacusca into hot jars and screw tops on loosely. Let cool then tighten lids. Keep in refrigerator for two weeks.