Serious Eats: Recipes
Meat Lite: Easy Eggplant and Bread Salad
Note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
Ever since I quit vegetarianism, I enthusiastically add bacon to everything, even perfectly good meat-free dishes like this one. This dish reminds me of something a vegan friend of mine used to make on a charcoal grill, rendering the meaty-textured eggplant smoky and even more satisfying. I have a gas grill, which imparts no such depth of flavor. I have discovered, though, that a few drops of liquid smoke can help create a reasonable facsimile. (If you grill over charcoal or wood, definitely skip the liquid smoke.)
And what smoky-tasting dish isn't enhanced by a little bacon? I can't think of any. That's how I like this hearty main-course salad. But if you have vegetarians or vegans coming to your Labor Day cook out, omit the bacon and you'll still have substantial meal that even the burger-eaters will want to try, too. The recipe doubles easily. If you are only making it for one or two, scale it down, because leftovers don't keep well. Good thing you'll want to scarf it up immediately.