Romanian Roasted Eggplant Salad (Salată de Vinete)
Salată de vinete Say it: sah-LAH-tah deh vee-NEH-teh
At Romanian summer meals and holiday tables, this chilled eggplant spread is served with country bread. Fire-roasted eggplant is chopped fine, then beaten with sunflower oil and onion until pale and silky; the flavor is smoky, rich, and brightened by lemon. It is a practical make-ahead appetizer for warm-weather gatherings.
Romanian Roasted Eggplant Salad (Salată de Vinete)
Salată de vinete
Pronounced sah-LAH-tah deh vee-NEH-teh
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 25 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Use a fork to pierce the eggplants in several places. Cook them whole over a gas flame or hot grill, or set them on a baking sheet in an oven heated to 450°F (230°C). Turn them often until the skins are fully blackened and blistered and the flesh gives way when pressed—15–25 minutes over a flame or 40–50 minutes in the oven.
Move the roasted eggplants to a colander set over a bowl and let them cool slightly; bitter liquid will drain away as they sit. Once they are easy to handle, split them lengthwise and use a stainless-steel or ceramic spoon to lift out the soft flesh. Throw away the charred skin and any blackened pieces.
Leave the flesh in the colander for 20–30 minutes so excess water can escape and the finished salad stays thick. Put it on a wooden or ceramic board and chop it very fine with a ceramic, stainless-steel, or wooden knife until it is creamy but still has some texture; avoid a food processor.
Place the chopped eggplant in a bowl and stir in the minced onion. With a wooden spoon, start beating in one direction. Add the sunflower oil very gradually—first a few drops at a time, then in a thin stream—while beating without stopping, until the mixture becomes pale, glossy, and light.
Add salt and lemon juice to taste, checking as you go; the salad should be tangy and properly seasoned. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors can deepen.
Spoon the salad onto a plate or into a bowl, shaping it into a mound. Serve it chilled or at room temperature, spread thickly on bread.
Regional variant: Creamy mayonnaise version (salată de vinete cu maioneză)
Once the eggplant has drained and been chopped, stir in 3–4 heaped tablespoons of good mayonnaise rather than drizzling in the oil, then season with onion, salt, and lemon juice. For the old-fashioned beaten style, first mix 1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon mustard into the chopped eggplant, then add the 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil in the same slow stream described above; the result is richer and closer to homemade mayonnaise.
Cook's notes
- Let the roasted pulp drain thoroughly; this keeps the spread thick and prevents a bitter, watery result.
- Choose a stainless-steel or ceramic knife; carbon steel may darken the eggplant.
- Add the oil in a slow stream and keep beating in a single direction to get the smoothest texture.
Serve with
Offer it chilled or at room temperature, spread generously on fresh or lightly toasted country bread, alongside ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and green onions.
Make ahead and storage
Keep it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, stir it well and adjust with a little lemon juice and salt.
