Best Melitzanosalata Grilled Eggplant Salad With Tomato Vinegar And Parsley Recipes

MELITZANOSALATA AGIORITIKI (ATHENIAN EGGPLANT SALAD)

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat.
• Pierce the eggplant a few times with the tip of a paring knife or fork. Cook eggplant on preheated grill, turning often, until the skin is charred and the eggplant is tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Remove the skin from the eggplant and dice the pulp. Place into a mixing bowl, and add tomato, onion, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, and feta cheese; mix well. Refrigerate for one hour, and season to taste with salt before serving.

EGGPLANT SALAD (MELITZANOSALATA)

Steps:

• Prick eggplants, place them in a baking pan and bake in 350F oven for about one hour or until soft.
• Allow skin to shrivel and turn black so as to give a smoky flavor to the salad.
• Peel eggplants whil still hot and chop flesh into small pieces.
• Continue chopping while slowly adding the onion, garlic, tomato, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Place in salad bowl and garnish with olives and green pepper rings.

MELITZANOSALATA

Steps:

• To prepare yogurt: Line a colander or strainer with cheese cloth and set over a bowl. Bowl should support strainer without touching the bottom of the bowl. Put yogurt in the strainer and let drain overnight. Discard liquid and use strained yogurt according to recipe.
• Prepare a grill or broiler or heat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pierce eggplant with a fork. In an oven broiler or on a hot grill, cook eggplant, turning frequently to prevent burning, until skin becomes black and eggplant is soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove eggplant from heat and cool on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch juices. Eggplants may be baked for 45 minutes for similar results. When eggplant is cooled, peel off skin and coarsely chop. With paddle attachment in an electric mixer, add eggplant, tomatoes, onion and garlic, and mix on medium speed about 1 minute. Stop machine and add yogurt. Continue to mix at medium speed for another minute. With mixer running, slowly add vinegar and lemon juice. Continue mixing while slowly adding olive oil. Thin mixture with seltzer as needed until eggplant salad is the consistency of a loose paste. Add parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate overnight and serve.
• *method below.

MELITZANOSALATA (GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH TOMATO, VINEGAR, AND PARSLEY)

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan over high heat. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside.
• Pierce each eggplant in a few places with a fork. Lightly oil grill pan with vegetable oil. Place eggplants on the grill pan and top with a heavy, flat lid, turning occasionally to prevent burning, until the eggplants are soft and the skin is black, about 15 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer eggplants to reserved baking sheet to cool.
• When eggplants are cool, peel and discard the skin as well as any accumulated juices. Coarsely chop the eggplant and place it in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add garlic, onion, and tomatoes; beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add yogurt, and beat for an additional minute.
• With the mixer still on medium speed, slowly add vinegar and lemon juice. When blended, with the mixer still running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady steam. Begin adding seltzer, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the mixture is slightly thick yet light and relatively loose. Stir in parsley and oregano; season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a nonreactive container, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight before serving with warm pita triangles.