Roased EGGPLANT SALAD
(from kintyre’s recipe box)
To make this smoky-flavored eggplant salad the center of a meal, serve it accompanied by oil-cured Moroccan black olives, feta cheese, and warmed pita breads. It also makes a great dip or even a filling for a sandwich. I like making it a day ahead to let the garlic flavor develop and meld with the other seasonings.
Fast Fact: Eggplants with a dimple in the bottom are female and have more seeds than the flat-bottomed male eggplants.
Quick Tip: To make this salad, I prefer using a golden olive oil that has the softer, more fruity flavor of ripe olives.
Source: Wildberries - link from this page (from RecipeThing user kylerhea)
Serves 4 peopleCategories: appetizers, nondairy, salad
Ingredients
- pound eggplant (1 large or 2 medium)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced thin
- 4 plum tomatoes, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup cured olives
- 1 green pepper, roasted, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
- Diced feta cheese, optional
Directions
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For a smoky taste, grill eggplant under the broiler, turning often, or cook slowly on a stovetop cast iron griddle. You also can bake the eggplant at 400° F. until soft throughout. Drain in a colander. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, strip away the skin and scoop out and discard any large seed pockets.
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Using a fork, mash the eggplant in a bowl and blend in the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper, plus additional olive oil and lemon juice, if desired.
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Chill the salad well before serving it on a chilled platter, ringed with the cucumber and tomato slices, olives, and green pepper, plus the feta, if using. Accompany the salad with warm pita breads.