Eggplant Salad with Peppers, Mint and a Creamy Caper Vinaigrette

This is a must make recipe for a weekend lunch or quick weeknight dinner - filling, zesty and tasty, but incredibly healthy - especially after the overindulgence of the holiday! This recipe is one I've made minor tweaks to over time after I originally found it in the NYT... below is my own version. And, use some of that leftover bread to make Pan con Tomate, an incredibly simple, delightful tapa you might have enjoyed wandering the streets of any town in Spain (in this instance, I'm still mourning their exit from the World Cup, but that's a topic for another day). Anyhow... this recipe works because of a simple, filling salad topped with a salad made creamy with a slight bit of briny feta cheese. Play around with it and make your own! 

Ingredients: 

Dressing: 

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Dash of white balsamic vinegar 
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• (Step 3) 1 clove garlic, minced
• (Step 3) 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoon capers, chopped
• (Step 3) 2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 2/3 cup)

Salad (as a starting point, adjust + make your own!): 

• 1 ¾ pounds eggplant (any kind, or a mixture), trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 pound red, yellow & green bell peppers, cut into ~ 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 large heirloom tomato cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly shredded by hand 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• (optional) 1/2 cup roasted mushroom slices (we roast them with thyme and a dash of EVOO & Balsamic Vinegar) 
• (optional) 1/2 cup of sliced green & black olives

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss the eggplant with 1/3 cup of the vinaigrette, reserving the rest.
2. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool ~15 mins (until it's not warm enough to wilt the mint.)
3. Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. Start with less feta cheese whisk away and taste before you add the full 3 oz, as it turns into a rich, creamy, tangy dressing (but feta goes a long way). 
4. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients and toss lightly. I prefer to let it sit in the refrigerator ~30 minutes to let the flavors meld, but that step is options. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve - if you'd like, garnish with a sprig of mint. 

​As they say in my home country, Bueno Provecho! 

Note: If you'd like to make vegan, you can do so by skipping the Feta, but I'd recommend replacing with nutritional yeast and a tablespoon of the caper brine.