Eggplant Salad Country-Style

Recipe by: Susanna Hoffman | from The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking

Cookstr

Course: Antipasto/Mezze, Hors D'oeuvre, Tapas/Small Plates

Total Time: Under 2 Hours

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Because this is a country-style salad, lively and unrefined, the ingredients should be chopped into small chunks and pieces, not minced.

Yield: Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)
¼ medium onion
2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 small tomato (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ teaspoon chopped fresh mint leaves
½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves, or ¼ teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard, or ½ teaspoon prepared mustard
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Bread, pita, or crackers, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Prick the eggplant once with a knife. Place it on a baking sheet in the oven and roast until the skin is wrinkled and the eggplant has collapsed, about 50 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool enough to handle.

3. Slit the eggplant open lengthwise and scrape the pulp from the skin. Coarsely chop the pulp and transfer it to a large bowl.

4. Coarsely chop the onion, garlic, and tomato. Add to the bowl, along with the parsley, mint, oregano, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to blend. Serve right away, accompanied by the bread, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.