PANTRYFLEX

From Loryn Nalic's kitchen · Balkan Treat Box, St. Louis

blend · salsa

NATIONAL AWARD WINNER

Ajvar

From an award-winning kitchen

Ratio

OLIVE OIL 60LEMON JUICE 30

Ingredients

  • RED PEPPER600 g
  • EGGPLANT350 g
  • GARLIC20 g
  • OLIVE OIL60 ml
  • LEMON JUICE30 ml
  • SALT6 g
  • PEPPER1 g

Method

  1. This one needs a blender — jar fill-lines aren’t the whole story yet.
  2. Combine measured ingredients and blend until smooth.
  3. Taste and adjust salt and acid.

Provenance

Balkan / Turkish chef of Balkan Treat Box in St. Louis; James Beard Best Chef: Midwest 2026. Bosnian-American börek, cevapi, and yogurt–pepper sauces from a bakery-restaurant.

Originally published as Ajvar.

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FAQ

Can this go in a shake jar?+

This one is blend or stove fit. Use it from the recipe page; jar columns are shake-ready sauces only.

What do the quantities mean?+

Amounts below are from the published source, converted to ml/g where liquids allow. On a jar, every column scales to the same fill height.

Where did this recipe come from?+

Adapted from Loryn Nalic Balkan roast pepper relish (published as “Ajvar”). Full citation lives in Provenance.