Roased EGGPLANT SALAD

(from kylerhea’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

Serves 4 people

Categories: NT, SALADS

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

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