Eggplant Salad With Peppers, Mint and Caper-Feta Vinaigrette

Adapted from Melissa Clark

CSA member Karen sent us this recipe and noted “Here’s a salad with eggplant and peppers that always gets raves whenever I serve it.”

½ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1¾ pounds eggplant (any kind, or a mixture), trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about ⅔ cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 pound mixed bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped tomatoes (if using cherry tomatoes, cut in halves)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Toss eggplant with ⅓ cup vinaigrette, reserving the rest. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool somewhat. (It can be warm but not hot enough to melt feta or wilt mint.)

Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and mint leaves. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve immediately or within several hours. (It holds up all day.)