Eggplant & tomato salad

Eggplant (aka aubergine) is an enormously popular vegetable around the Mediterranean from North Africa to Greece, Italy, France & Spain. In Spain it's often served fried in slices or stuffed & baked. This is a somewhat different take, using it in a simple salad with tomato & onion, dressed with lemon & olive oil. The secret (thanks to Jamie Oliver), is to cook the eggplant in the microwave.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized eggplant
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 1/2 small onion (red, white or green)
• Lemon, salt & olive oil

Preparation

• Wrap the eggplant in microwaveable transparent film. Stab it through film & skin 5 or 6 times to keep it from exploding.
• Microwave for about 5 minutes, check. If it's not tender, cook for 2 minutes more. It should be tender, but not overcooked.
• When it's cooled enough to handle, unwrap and chop in 1" chunks (skin & all)
• Cut the tomatoes in bite sized wedges, cut onion in thin slices
• Put it all together in a salad bowl, sprinkle on salt to taste, squeeze on the juice of 1/2 lemon, add a goodly splash of olive oil. Mix.
• That's it. It's great warm or chilled.

Note:
1. A medium sized eggplant seems to work best. Smaller ones cook quickly, too quickly for the skin to become tender.
2. An alternative dressing that works well is our Special Vinaigrette.

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