Yesterday’s New York Times published a recipe for an eggplant salad that I made soon after returning from my California trip. This may very well be one of the tastiest ever summer salads and I nearly didn’t make it because of the precious little story accompanying the recipe that includes the sentence “But recently I found myself in possession of an eggplant and without a plan.” Via this anecdote, it’s clear the author/recipe-developer assembled this salad with some random stuff lying around her fridge, but it’s a genius combination of crisp and tender vegetables, and vibrant flavors: the green spark of the mint, the strong garlic, the nuttiness of the oiled and baked eggplant cubes, the citrus bursts of the lemon juice and the tomatoes, the salty and earthy feta). I’d surely make this again.
Eggplant Salad
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 3/4 pounds eggplant (any kind, or a mixture), trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
- 1 pound mixed bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Toss eggplant with 1/3 cup vinaigrette, reserving the rest. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool somewhat. (It can be warm but not hot enough to melt feta or wilt mint.)
- Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and mint leaves. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve immediately or within several hours.