Salata de vinete is very popular in Romania, especially during the summer as the eggplant is usually grilled on the barbecue to give it a smoky flavour. The literal translation is eggplant salad, but it’s more like a spreadable dip than an actual salad. Eat it with freshly baked bread and deliciously ripe tomatoes for a great snack, appetizer or even a full meal.
This is my mother-in-law's recipe and my husband is the designated chef for the dish. My daughters always request it when they are home during summer. And if we can get fresh eggplants and tomatoes from my in-laws’ garden, then the dish is one of the best.
Enjoy!
romanian eggplant dip
Ingredients
6 medium-sized eggplants
2 egg yolks
100ml sunflower oil
1 small onion
Salt, to taste
extra, 1 tbsp sour cream
To serve: freshly baked bread
Method
Pierce the eggplants with a fork and grill them on a barbecue until the outside is charred and the insides very soft (usually around 20-30 mins).
Peel the skin off while they are still hot and let them sit in a colander for 1 hour for the liquid to drain.
Finely dice or grate the onion.
Finely mince the eggplant with a wooden knife (in Romania there are specific knives for this), or blitz them in a blender (the easier way).
In a large bowl place the cooled eggplant, egg yolks and salt and start mixing as you slowly add the sunflower oil. It’s important to add only a little oil at a time and thoroughly mix, and repeat until the oil is used up. It takes some time but makes for a deliciously creamy dip.
If you want to add the sour cream for a whiter eggplant dip, do it now and mix all well!
Serve with sliced tomatoes and freshly baked bread.
Tips & cheats
The traditional version of this dish omits the eggs, so you can skip this step if you want a vegan eggplant dip.
If you don’t have a barbecue, you can also bake the eggplant in the oven using the grill setting. It won’t have the same smoky taste but my daughter has figured out a way around this by adding a few drops of liquid smoke into the mix.
If you don’t have a barbecue, want a smoky taste and don’t mind making a mess on your gas hob, roast the eggplants directly on the gas burner.
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