Shadow Fleet on Pepper Fire

Name: Shadow Fleet on Pepper Fire
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 2 eggplants; 2 zucchinis; 2 red bell peppers; 1 red onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 red chili pepper; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 3 tbsp olive oil; salt and pepper to taste; 1 tsp smoked paprika powder; 1 lemon

Based on:

TypeSide dish

Serves4 people

DateSeptember 17, 2026

Grilled vegetable boats on sharp sauce, like a shadow fleet sailing in secret.

Long grilled eggplant and zucchini slices form a ‘shadow fleet’ on a sharp, tangy pepper sauce. This echoes the Russian shadow fleet: the vegetable boats are arranged diagonally and overlapping, as if sailing secretly. Flavour: spicy, with a lingering tang.

Ingredients

2 eggplants
2 zucchinis
2 red bell peppers
1 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red chili pepper
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp smoked paprika powder
1 lemon

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Slice the eggplants and zucchinis lengthwise into 1 cm thick slices.
Brush the slices with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
Grill the slices on a grill pan until nicely striped and cooked through.
Roughly chop the peppers, onion, garlic, and chili. Sauté all in 1 tbsp olive oil until soft.
Blend the pepper mixture with vinegar, juice of ½ lemon, and some salt into a smooth, spicy sauce.
Spread the sauce in a broad stripe on a platter.
Arrange the grilled eggplant and zucchini slices diagonally and overlapping on the sauce, like a fleet of ships.
Garnish with a little lemon zest.

Serving notes

Serve with extra lemon wedges for more tang.
Arrange the vegetables to really look like a fleet: rows, diagonal, overlapping.
Serve lukewarm for best taste and tension.