Bill Granger says that grilled food with salad is still his favourite way with eating despite his father having had less than chefly barbecuing skills.
“My dad had a bright orange barbecue that consistently worked miracles – every single item that came out of it was charred black on the outside but remained basically raw on the inside,” he writes in his new book, ‘Holiday’ (Murdoch, $49.95), in which he tries to capture the flavours of good times.
With this chilli-dressed eggplant salad try barbecued lamb skewers.
Photo - 'Holiday', Murdoch
What you need
3 large eggplants
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 long red chilli, seeded, finely chopped
3 tablespoons shredded fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons shredded fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
What to do
Cut each eggplant into thick slices. Preheat a barbecue or chargrill pan to high and cook the eggplant for 2–3 minutes on each side or until lightly charred
and cooked through. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil and red wine vinegar in a small bowl. Add the chilli, mint, and parsley, season with salt and pepper and stir together.
Tear the eggplant into rough strips with your fingers and place in a serving bowl. Add the dressing and gently toss together.
Text: Bill Granger