Eggplant & Date Salad

Serves 6–8

Sharp, sweet, hot and pungent; incorporating both soft and crunchy textures . . .  can you believe it? This salad packs a mighty punch!

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (aubergine), weighing about 400 g (14 oz)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• 8 fresh dates, halved, pitted, then thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp, or more, lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp thinly sliced or chopped preserved lemon rind
• 1 small red or white onion, peeled and slivered
• 1 hot red chilli, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin, plus extra for sprinkling
• ½ cup coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped

Method

Cut eggplant into thickish rounds then fat cubes. Let them dry off for several minutes on the chopping board. Heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan (skillet) over medium heat, and once it is hot add the eggplant cubes. Stir 2–3 times to coat the eggplant cubes with oil. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for several minutes until the eggplant has started to brown and soften. You’ll need to turn the eggplant cubes with tongs or shake the pan from time to time to encourage even browning. Lower the heat if things get a bit fierce. Once eggplant cubes are tender — no longer spongey but shiny and almost translucent — remove the lid and continue cooking until nicely browned. Sprinkle generously with quarter of a teaspoon of salt. Cool.

In a large bowl combine the dates, lemon juice, preserved lemon rind, onion, chilli, cumin and most of the coriander and a quarter of a teaspoon of salt. Mix gently, breaking up any clusters of dates. Add eggplant and mix again until you can see that the dates are no longer in sticky clumps and are evenly distributed. Have a taste. If it doesn’t make you fist pump, start doctoring (see below). When you’ve got it right, if there’s any left, pile into a dish and serve pronto.

Recipe notes

The dates for this recipe need to be soft and squishy and the chilli hot. Don’t attempt it with old dry-as-boot-leather dates, because it will be a major disappointment. There’s no trick to slicing the dates although putting a little oil on the chopping board and wiping the knife blade from time to time can help.

While this dish is scrumptious enough to eat simply piled on bread, it’s also great served with a platter of mezze or nibbly dishes, yoghurty type things and olives. Lamb’s obviously going to be a great accompaniment, too, as is chicken.

I love it when freshly tossed, when everything is all perky, the onion crunchy, the lemon and chilli zinging, but it’s also good a bit wilted when everything settles down and melds together. A knockout either way. But (there’s always a but), be prepared to add more salt (depending on the saltiness of the preserved lemons). It needs to have a sharp bite and if the lemon you use is a sweeter type, like a Meyer lemon, you’ll need more juice. And if the chilli turns out to be a dud, without oomph, you might need to resort to a little chilli powder. Everything in this salad needs to be strong and in your face to bring about that explosive mouthful.