Lebanese Roasted Eggplant Salad (Salatet Rahib)

Method7 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Char the large eggplant (1) on a gas hob for about 15 minutes, watching closely and turning every few minutes until the flesh is fully soft and cooked.

   Uses 1 large eggplant

2. 2

   Step 2: Move the cooked eggplant from step 1 to a colander and let it cool enough to handle. Remove the top, peel away the charred skin with a fork and leave the edible flesh to drain.

   Uses Complete charred cooked eggplant

3. 3

   Step 3: Finely chop the measured tomato, spring onion (⅓), cucumber (½), pickle (1), mint leaves (3–4) and parsley (2). Put them together in a mixing bowl.

   Uses ⅓ salad tomato, finely chopped · ⅓ spring onion, finely chopped · ½ small cucumber, finely chopped · 1 pickle, finely chopped · 3–4 mint leaves, finely chopped · 2 parsley sprigs, finely chopped

4. 4

   Step 4: Mash the peeled drained eggplant flesh from step 2 with a pestle, keeping some texture. Add it to the chopped salad bowl from step 3 with the juice of half a lemon, some of the 2 tablespoons olive oil and approximately ½ teaspoon salt. Reserve the remaining oil for finishing.

   Uses Peeled drained eggplant flesh; top, charred skin and drained liquid excluded · Complete finely chopped salad bowl · Juice of ½ lemon · Some of the 2 tablespoons olive oil; remainder reserved · Approximately ½ teaspoon salt, to taste

5. 5

   Step 5: Taste the salad from step 4 and add extra salt only if needed. Stir in the 3–4 crumbled walnuts.

   Uses Complete seasoned eggplant-and-fresh-vegetable salad · Optional extra salt to taste · 3–4 walnuts, crumbled

6. 6

   Step 6: Transfer the salad from step 5 to a serving bowl and drizzle with the remaining oil reserved from the original 2 tablespoons. If desired, garnish with pomegranate seeds, or with extra finely chopped tomato and a mint sprig.

   Uses Complete walnut-and-eggplant salad · Remaining oil from the original 2 tablespoons, reserved for finishing · Optional pomegranate seeds for garnish when in season · Optional finely chopped extra tomato for garnish · Optional mint sprig for garnish

7. 7

   Step 7: Serve the finished eggplant salad from step 6 with ready fresh flatbreads.

   Uses Complete finished eggplant salad · Ready fresh flatbreads to serve