Charred Eggplant Salad

ALL SUMMER LONG

I made the best and easiest dish the other night that I plan on cooking all summer long. Often when it comes time to think about a recipe to post here, I reflect on my last month of cooking. But by the time the newsletter comes out asparagus has come and gone or cherries are fading from the markets. This time, I made a delicious and simple eggplant dish right as we head into eggplant season - perfect timing!

It's from the Zahav cookbook, an Israeli restaurant in Philadelphia. It is a tome and I've cooked a bit from it and have barely scratched the surface. Zahav is particularly known for its hummus recipe, which is very simple and starts with a garlicky and lemony tahina sauce. This tahina sauce can be stirred into grated, roasted beets for a yummy dip, or drizzled over roasted veggies. 

But this eggplant dish is even simpler. You broil or grill split eggplant unless soft and blackened. Then you scoop out the flesh and mix with olive oil, garlic, salt and parsley. Done. That's it! We ate it with feta cheese and a piece of salmon, but it would be a great addition to an appetizer spread or mixed into orzo pasta or smeared on toasted bread.

Charred Eggplant Salad
From Zahav by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook

2 large eggplants, halved
2 minced garlic cloves
1/4 cup of good olive oil
1 tsp. of kosher salt (and maybe more to taste)
parsley to taste

Cook the eggplant cut side up in a broiler (or cut side down on a hot grill) until the inside is really soft and the outside is black. Once the interior has a pudding-like texture, let cool. Using a fork, gently scrape the flesh out of the inside of the skin into a a bowl.

Add the garlic and olive oil to the bowl and with your fork, mix everything really well, There will still be texture but you want to transform it a bit so it starts to smooth out. Add salt and parsley, adjusting the salt so the balance is just right.

Serve immediately or store in the fridge. If storing in the fridge, bring to room temp before enjoying.