Salata de vinete is a traditional Romanian dip or spread that is served with pitta or crackers. I did some research online – even watching a video of Nadia Comenici preparing salata de vinete – before asking my Romanian friend Dan for tips.
While I didn’t have the recommended wooden knife for chopping the roasted aubergines, I did avoid using a metal one (apparently it affects the taste ). Instead, I bashed the flesh with a wooden spoon until it was reduced to mush.
While some salata de vinete recipes include mayonnaise, I decided against it. Partly because I was serving it with salata de boeuf, which contains enough mayonnaise for one meal, and partly because I preferred the freshness the lemon juice brought to it.
Salata de vinete
(makes about 1 cup)
- 3 medium aubergines
- 1/2 a medium onion, minced
- juice of a lemon
- 2 Tb olive oil, or to taste
- salt and pepper
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the whole aubergines on it.
- Prick them all over with a fork, then bake for about 45 minutes, turning occasionally until soft and slightly charred.
- Remove from the oven, tip into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and cover for fifteen minutes before peeling. (This steams them a bit, which makes the skin easier to remove.)
- Transfer the aubergine flesh to a strainer and leave to drain for a couple of hours.
- Chop the aubergines with a wooden knife (or the end of a wooden spoon).
- In a bowl, mix together the aubergine and onion. Add lemon juice and olive oil and mix well.
- Season to taste, and adjust the amount of lemon juice and olive oil if necessary.
- Serve with pitta bread and fresh tomatoes.
Ten More Bites 
Looks delicious!
Will add this recipe to the list for my anticipated eggplants in the garden
It’s nice – clean and fresh tasting compared to other aubergine dips.
Yum! I love eggplant and this looks so tasty, versatile and healthy!
I really enjoyed the way the flavour of the eggplant is allowed to come through in this salad.
Lovely! I would exclude the mayonnaise too 🙂
The thought of aubergines and mayonnaise just didn’t appeal to me — and very nice without!