Greek eggplant salad
Description
A simple dish to prepare. Salads made from roasted vegetables are present in the national cuisines of many cultures, but it is perhaps the Greeks and Caucasians who cherish them so dearly that they are happy to enjoy them daily, alongside fresh vegetables. The recipe for Greek eggplant salad belongs precisely to this category. "Melitzanosalata" is served both in upscale Athenian restaurants and in modest village tavernas. The ingredient list may vary slightly—for instance, marinated sweet peppers or tomatoes are sometimes added—but the base always consists of ripe, fragrant eggplants, roasted directly in their skin, ideally over charcoal or an open flame. The mashed flesh combined with parsley, sweet onion, aromatic garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil—this is what melitzanosalata is all about. Finely chop the eggplants, and you get a dip; cut them coarsely, and you have a salad side dish for meat or a standalone appetizer. Well, I've almost told you everything. Serve chilled.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Wash the eggplants, dry them, and place them on a baking sheet. Prick each one with a fork in 2-3 places.
- 2
Step 2
Bake until done in the oven or on the grill. It's better not to remove the stems from the eggplants—they make it easier to flip and remove the vegetables.
- 3
Step 3
Peel the eggplants (to make the skin easier to remove, place the baked vegetables in a plastic bag, seal it tightly, and let stand for several minutes) and set aside.
- 4
Step 4
Meanwhile, peel the onion and slice it into thin half-rings.
- 5
Step 5
Peel the garlic and chop it finely with a knife.
- 6
Step 6
Squeeze the juice from the lemon.
- 7
Step 7
Wash parsley, dry and finely chop.
- 8
Step 8
Chop the flesh of the roasted eggplants with a knife, mash with a fork, or blend in a food processor—depending on the desired salad consistency. Add onion, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper; season with lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Greek eggplant salad is ready! :)