Eggplant Salad With Sauteed Onions, Garlic And Tomatoes

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 globe eggplants, each about 3/4 pound
• 3/4 lb plum tomato (about 3)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
• 8 large garlic cloves, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
• 1 -2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered (for garnish)
• 8 black olives (for garnish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat broiler or heat the grill to medium.
• 2 with a fork, prick the eggplants 4 or 5 times, rather deeply.
• 3 broil or grill them, turning several times, until very tender, about 20 minutes (when they are done, they will look collapsed and the skin will be black).
• 4 meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes by cutting an "x" in the bottom of each, then blanching in boiling water about 30 seconds (this will allow you to easily remove the skins); transfer to an ice water bath.
• 5 remover almost immediately and pull off skins; halve the tomatoes, squeeze out the juice and seeds, then chop (you should have about 1 1/4 cups).
• 6 remove the eggplants from the broiler or grill, cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out the pulp; chop fine (you should have about 1 1/2 cups).
• 7 saute the onion in oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
• 8 add garlic, stir in turmeric, then the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper.
• 9 cook until thick, stirring often, about 7 minutes.
• 10 add eggplants, reduce heat and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes; if you like stir in the tomato paste, then adjust seasonings.
• 11 serve, hot or warm, in a shallow bowl, with garnishes, as desired.