Eggplant and Cucumber Salad

I threw some eggplant on the grill, since I always feel it's such a waste to light it up for four burgers.  There were cucumbers in the fridge that I wasn't sure why I bought.  And on the page facing the coleslaw dressing recipe in the Bible were two for cucumber salads.  As long as I had a bit of sour cream in the fridge, I thought this was something I could play with.

Yes, I realized it would be different to have a salad with one component raw and the other cooked.  The texture contrast surprisingly works.  I do not recommend doing this with zucchini instead of eggplant.  It looks too much like the cucumber and things would get weird.  Most other recipes in the world, they're interchangeable as long as the eggplant can be cooked.  I don't even know if a raw eggplant is edible.

1 large eggplant
olive oil for brushing
*2 cucumbers
*1/2 C sour cream
1 Tb cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp celery seed

1.  If grilling, start the grill.  If not, turn on the broiler.

2.  Cut the cap off the eggplant and slice longways into wedges.  Sprinkle with kosher salt and let sit 10 minutes to draw out some of the moisture.  Rinse thoroughly.

3.  Brush cut sides of eggplant with oil to reduce sticking.  Remember, eggplant is a sponge, so don't go crazy.  Set on the grill for about 10 minutes per side, or 5 per side under the broiler.  Once the insides are softened, remove to a plate to cool.

4.  Peel cucumbers and cut into thin half-moon slices.  I originally was doing full rounds, but unless you're using Persian cucumbers, that gets unwieldy.

5.  Whisk together sour cream, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and celery seed.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.  Remember that the dressing is going to draw out moisture from the veggies and resist the urge to thin it out.

6.  Once cool enough to handle, chop eggplant into bite-sized pieces.  Toss in a bowl with cucumber slices and dressing.  Chill until ready to serve.

Serves 6-8

Difficulty rating  :)