Actually, this is my only favorite way to eat eggplant.  I don’t love eggplant and in most recipes, I just tolerate it.  We’ve been making this a lot this summer though and I love it.  It’s so easy to make, needs very few ingredients, keeps well in the refrigerator, and you feel virtuous for eating a lot of a vegetable.  There’s something about the creaminess of the eggplant combined with the garlic and vinegar that is just so good.  So make melitzanosalata today!  (And do it quickly because eggplant won’t be in season for much longer!)

Melitzanosalata (traditional Greek Eggplant Salad)

a 1 pound eggplant (approximately)*

Wash the eggplant well.  Roast it whole on the grill or in the oven (rotating a few times) until the eggplant is completely soft.  You want it to look totally collapsed like this:

We usually try to roast the eggplant on a night when we’re grilling other stuff.  It usually takes about 30+ minutes; by the time our dinner is grilled, the eggplant is usually getting close.

As soon as possible, cut open the eggplant and take the flesh out of the skin.  It’s best not to let it cool in the skin because the eggplant can turn brown.  Allow the eggplant to cool completely.

After taking off all the skin.  I used an fairly large eggplant this time so you can see there are a lot of seeds.  If you don’t like the seeds, then just cut out the worst of them before continuing with the recipe. 

For the rest of this recipe, start with the smaller amounts and then add more as necessary.

3-4 T (or more) of high quality extra virgin olive oil (the better the oil, the better this will taste)

Using a hand-held electric mixer** on medium speed, gradually add the oil to the eggplant until the oil is well blended and the eggplant is smooth and creamy.

1-2 T red wine vinegar
1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
several grinds of fresh black pepper
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely chopped***

Add and blend until well-mixed.  At this point, taste for seasoning.  I inevitably add more salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar!

We find that this tastes the best after it has sat in the refrigerator for a day.  Serve cold or at room temperature with warmed pita and chunks of tomato.  Enjoy!!

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*This recipe is easily doubled.  We always make two eggplants worth of this because it lasts for easily a week or more in the refrigerator and we love it.  If you’re going to grill one eggplant, why not grill two? 🙂
**You can also just use a spoon but an electric mixer is much easier.
***Traditional melitzanosalata is VERY garlic-y.  Add garlic to taste – I like it on the slightly less-strong side.