Zaalouk (Moroccan Cooked Eggplant & Tomato Salad)

Ingredients

Method

1. 1

   Preheat your broiler or set the oven to 450°F (230°C) if you don't have a broiler.

2. 2

   Prick the eggplants several times with a fork, brush them lightly with 1 tbsp of the olive oil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

3. 3

   Broil the eggplants, turning every 6–8 minutes, until the skins are blackened and the flesh has collapsed and is very soft.

   25 min
4. 4

   Transfer the hot eggplants to a heatproof bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and let them steam for 10 minutes to loosen the skins.

   10 min
5. 5

   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil.

6. 6

   Add the chopped onion and 1/2 tsp of the salt; sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.

   7 min
7. 7

   Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, sweet paprika, and cayenne (if using) and cook, stirring, until fragrant.

   1 min
8. 8

   Add the chopped tomatoes (or canned crushed tomatoes) and the remaining 1 tsp salt; bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has thickened slightly.

   12 min
9. 9

   Peel the eggplants (discard the charred skins), then roughly mash the flesh with a fork or chop coarsely and add the mashed eggplant to the skillet; stir to combine.

10. 10

    Simmer the combined mixture, stirring occasionally, until very saucy and most liquid has evaporated and flavors are concentrated.

    10 min
11. 11

    Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, preserved lemon rind (if using), and black pepper; taste and adjust salt if needed.

12. 12

    Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with a little olive oil and a light sprinkle of paprika, and serve warm or at room temperature with crusty bread or flatbread.