This seasoned salad stars smoky eggplant
In Morocco — and similarly throughout the Middle East — the most delicious salads are made with seasoned, cooked vegetables, not leafy greens. This dish, smoky eggplant salad with cilantro, infused with cumin, hot pepper and a generous amount of olive oil, is a winning combination. For the perfect flavor, you want to seriously blacken the eggplant. Choose very firm eggplants, which will have fewer seeds. The salad will keep, refrigerated, for several days.
Roasted Eggplant Salad
Ingredients:
• 3 or 4 firm medium eggplants (about 2 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 small garlic cloves, grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• 1 small jalapeño or serrano pepper, minced, more or less to taste
• Pinch of hot red-pepper flakes, such as Maras or gochugaru
• Radishes, sliced if large, and olives (any type), for serving (optional)
Directions:
Heat a broiler or grill to high. Using the tip of a sharp knife, poke the eggplant skin in a few places to prevent them from bursting. Broil or grill the whole eggplants, occasionally turning with tongs, until the skins blacken all over and start to collapse – they should be very soft when probed with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Carefully cut hot eggplants in half vertically, and leave to cool cut side up on a baking sheet or cutting board for at least 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, using a fork, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove and discard the charred eggplant skin, scraping with a small knife. Cut off and discard stem end of eggplant. Tear or slice eggplant into 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch strips. Discard any large seed pockets. Place strips in a bowl.
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Season eggplant with salt and pepper. Add dressing, cilantro and minced pepper. Toss gently and let sit for at least 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with a pinch of red-pepper flakes and garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Serve at cool room temperature. Accompany with radishes and olives, if desired, and top with cilantro sprigs.
Total time: 30 minutes, plus at least 15 minutes’ cooling, serves 6.
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