Patlican Salatasi (Eggplant Salad)

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced fine
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• salt and ground black pepper
• a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large fresh tomato, peeled and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1 Wash the eggplant and prick all over with a fork. Place on the grill (before the meat as it takes longer to cook). To make sure it cooks evenly, turn it occasionally using the stem as a handle. When the skin of the eggplant looks quite burnt, make sure the flesh is soft right through by testing it with a fork.
2 Hold the eggplant under cold running water to cool, then peel the skin, leaving the soft flesh. Slice it into a serving dish and add the tomatoes, bell pepper, and garlic.
3 Place the onion in a separate dish and rub with a good pinch of salt, then wash and drain. Add to the salad along with the parsley.
4 To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the salad and serve.