Or, a late summer salad to appease the plot-device gods.
I’m having a hard time writing through the part in my story when the main character’s best friend gets really mad and walks away from the epic stupidity that main character is engaging in. I think this might be because my best friend has never walked away, even during my most epic stupidities, which makes me lucky, but without an inside track into this particular emotional scene. I have resorted to (a) extreme grumpiness with the world, anyone who lives with me, and my kitchen, and (b) reading lots of books to see how other people do it.
This salad actually helps with both strategies, since it both keeps me fed whether served hot or cold or forgotten on my plate for the last three chapters, and allows me to burn things down in a constructive way in the kitchen.
The key to eggplant, in my experience, is to cook it into submission. I have not yet found a recipe that celebrates the spongy white foam of uncooked eggplant – we have to apply heat and oil and possibly fire to get at its deliciousness. (Steam, sometimes, but don’t even talk to me about steamy things in my book right now.) This recipe gives easy access to that smoky eggplant quality that we love. You just have to have the nerve to let the beast sit in the pan and char, even though your nose and muscle memory will be telling you that you should stir it, take it off the heat, and generally avoid burning your dinner now. Trust me on this – the charred bits will melt into the silky, lovely bits and all you will get at the end is magical flavor and sustenance.
- 1 small onion, halved and sliced
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers in brine
- a pinch of red pepper flakes
- ½ cup of parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon/a good squeeze of lemon juice
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and eggplant and toss in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Let the veggies sit and begin to char for 3-4 minutes. Try to avoid checking or moving them at all unless you are truly alarmed.
- Add another 2 tablespoons of oil and move the eggplant and onions around, allowing other surfaces to get a nice char. Continue to move the veggies every 3-4 minutes or so, until most surfaces have a color and all the eggplant is soft. It is fine, or even good, if the onions also get a bit more charred than you are comfortable with. This is the flavor you are going for.
- When the eggplant is soft and charred in places, add the capers, the red pepper flakes, ¼ cup of the chopped parsley, and a good swig of red wine vinegar. Toss to combine, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, smashing the capers into the eggplant with the back of a wooden spoon and beginning to form a rough paste.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water after a bit, to help with the smooshing and to scrape up any charred bits in the pan. Continue mashing until you have your desired texture. I recommend quite a chunky texture here.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer the mixture to a plate and fold the remaining ¼ cup of parsley through the eggplant. Drizzle with some olive oil before serving.