Roasted Vegetable Salad
Vegetables usually don’t take kindly to long cooking, but eggplant is the exception: to coax out all its flavor, you have to char it hard over an open flame. Grilled eggplant, peppers, and zucchini take on a particular spiciness, sweetness, and smoky aroma you simply can’t reproduce on the stovetop.
This is a classic Mediterranean move: char the vegetables over the fire until the skin blackens, then peel it off, leaving the soft smoky flesh behind. The salad pairs well with grilled fish or meat and stands perfectly on its own as a cold appetizer.
Notes from the Kitchen
Don’t skimp on the heat under the eggplant — that hard char is what gives the signature smoky flavor; underdone, they stay rubbery. Peeling hot peppers is easiest if you cover them with a bowl for a few minutes — the skin lifts off on its own. Try cilantro or basil instead of parsley, and you can lightly pickle the red onion in vinegar for a milder taste.
Serve at room temperature or slightly warm — that’s when the smoky aroma comes through best. The salad keeps in the fridge for up to a day and even gets tastier.
Part of Mediterranean cuisine — 20 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Place the eggplants and peppers on an oiled grill or coals grate and roast for 7–10 minutes over high heat until the skin blackens. Then peel the vegetables, remove the seeds from the peppers, and cut the eggplants and peppers into medium pieces.
Cut the zucchini into large pieces and grill on the oiled grate for 3–4 minutes until soft. Cut the onion into small cubes.
Combine the vegetables in a salad bowl, add the olive oil and finely chopped parsley, and toss. Season with salt and pepper, toss again, and serve.
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