Preheat the
oven to 400 degrees. Prick the eggplant in one or two spots with a small
sharp knife and place on a sheet of aluminum foil or on a baking sheet.
Roast the eggplant until they are tender and the skins are charred,
20-40 minutes, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove from the
oven and let the eggplant cool slightly. While the eggplant are still
warm, peel off their skins, using your fingers or a small sharp knife.
Cut the eggplant flesh into small chunks, or if you are going to serve
the salad as a relish, chop the eggplant finely.
In a
medium-size serving bowl, mix the bell peppers, garlic, chives, onion or
scallions, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Add the warm eggplant and toss.
Sprinkle with the lemon juice and olive oil and taste for seasoning.
Makes 4
servings; makes about 2 cups
This
combination of roasted eggplant, sweet green and red peppers, spicy
jalapeno peppers, scallions, and garlic, all tossed with lemon juice and
olive oil, makes a light and refreshing salad. It has a silky texture
and slightly smoky flavor from the roasted eggplant. You can serve this
salad in any number of ways. It's delicious spooned over lightly
buttered toast or a bagel, as a topping for bruschetta (grilled garlic
bread), or as a dip for pita bread, cooked shrimp, or raw vegetables. If
you finely chop the vegetables, and eggplant, you can also serve this
dish as a relish with roasted meats, fish, or poultry. The salad can be
refrigerated, covered, for several hours before serving.
