first eggplant!

having waited patiently for fresh eggplant since the neighborhood farmers market opened in may, i wasn't going to let any of this one go to waste. after a less-than-satisfactory attempt at a dish that used 3/4 of the pretty purple goodness (i'll talk about that one when i get it right), i turned the remainder into the next day's lunch. no real measurements, just what looked right.

eggplant, lemon, and caper salad

cube eggplant and saute in olive oil at medium-high heat, letting the sides get good, dark brown color. don't burn.

remove from heat and mix with a few green olives, capers, the juice from half a lemon, and some lemon zest.

best refrigerated overnight and eaten at room temp the next day.

normally i salt and pepper everything, but with all the salty brine and acidity in these ingredients, i skipped the salt. some parsley would brighten it up, but mine in the garden has bolted.

i think this salad is an excellent candidate for making as a panzanella by adding lots of cubed, toasted bread. wish i'd thought of that monday night!