Salata de Vinete — Print Recipe

Smoky roasted eggplant flesh finely chopped and mixed with raw onion and sunflower oil, creating a creamy, intensely flavored spread for bread.

Ingredients

1 Roast whole eggplants directly over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning frequently until skin is charred and flesh is completely soft.
2 Place charred eggplants in a bowl and cover to steam for ten minutes. This makes peeling much easier.
3 Peel off all charred skin and place the soft flesh on a wooden cutting board. A wooden board is traditional and prevents metallic taste.
4 Chop the eggplant flesh with a wooden knife or regular knife, working until it reaches a creamy but slightly textured consistency.
5 Mix in finely minced onion, sunflower oil, lemon juice, and salt. The onion should be minced so fine it nearly dissolves.
6 Chill for at least thirty minutes before serving. Spread on bread or serve alongside tomato slices and fresh bread.

Did You Know?

Moldovans insist that eggplant salad must be chopped on a wooden board with a wooden knife, as metal supposedly gives the eggplant a bitter taste.