Late Summer Vegetable Platter with Olives, Feta & Herbs

From the blog For Love of the Table

3 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 fat clove of garlic, smashed to a purée with a pinch of salt

pinch hot pepper flakes (to taste)

6 T. olive oil, plus more for brushing

2 medium eggplant (about 2 lbs.), topped and tailed and sliced cross-wise 1/2-inch thick

Salt & Pepper

4 sweet bell peppers—mixed colors (red, yellow & orange)—about 1 1/2 lb., roasted, peeled, seeded, cooled and cut into 1/2- inch wide strips

2 c. cherry tomatoes (multi-colored, if possible)—about 10 oz., halved

4 to 5 T. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, basil and oregano

1/3 to 1/2 c. mixed black and green olives, pitted and halved

1/4 c. pine nuts, lightly toasted

3 oz. Feta, coarsely crumbled

Place the lemon juice in a small bowl with the garlic and whisk to combine. Add the pepper flakes and 6 T. olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Spread the eggplant on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Broil the eggplant until golden brown; turn and broil the other side in a similar manner. Alternatively, grill the eggplant over a charcoal fire or in a cast-iron grill pan. If, when the eggplant are nicely browned, they are not yet fork tender, stack them on top of one another while hot so that they will steam one another and cook through—eggplant should not be served al dente.

To build the salad, shingle the eggplant onto a platter or individual plates. Drizzle the eggplant with some of the vinaigrette and scatter some of the herbs over all. Place the peppers with their juices in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and add one or two tablespoons of the herbs. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and toss to coat. Pile the peppers attractively on top of the eggplant. Place the tomatoes, olives and another tablespoon or so of the herbs in the bowl used for the peppers. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Arrange the tomatoes and olives on top of the peppers and eggplant. Scatter the pine nuts, cheese and more herbs over all. The salad may be served right away, at room temperature...or chilled and served cold. Serve with warm crusty bread or garlic toasts.

Serves 4 as an entrée, 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Substitution: Sliced vine ripened tomatoes may be substituted for the cherry tomatoes. Arrange them on the platter in and among the slices of eggplant, drizzle with vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper and follow with a scattering of the olives and herbs. Proceed as directed with the rest of the salad, arranging the dressed peppers, crumbled cheese, pine nuts and herbs over all.

http://www.forloveofthetable.com/2015/09/a-platter-of-late-summer-vegetables.html

As published on forloveofthetable.com