I have been living in the UK now for 10 years, and am at least partly integrated. I am a British citizen, am allowed to vote and express my (usually) annoyed opinion on British politics and life, but there are still some things I miss about my home country. And in terms of food, I really miss "salata de vinete" or aubergine salad.
Aubergine salad or "salata de vinete", is a staple of Romanian meals. It always finds it's way on the table, for breakfast, lunch and especially dinner. I can't remember when I first had it but I know I love it. The aubergines are being barbequed until the skin is charcoaled and then cleaned. They are put in a colander to drip and after being made into a paste by using a wooden spoon to break them up.
You add a tiny bit of oil every time until the colour of the aubergines changes and they go lighter. Add a chopped or grated onion, tiny bit of salt and you are done. As hard as I try I can never replicate that wonderful smoky taste a barbequed aubergine has. But I can at least give it a try.
Whenever I go back to Romania, and people ask what I would like to eat, it's always aubergine salad and "telemea", the traditional Romanian cheese. Last year, a friend cooked and baked a lot of food. All I ate throughout my stay in Romania, breakfast, lunch and dinner was aubergine salad and "telemea". She did get slightly annoyed about it, but there you have it.
Here is my take on this traditional recipe. I keep tweaking it now and then and trying different ways to reproduce the taste of my childhood.
The finished result should look a little bit like this
I hope you guys give it a try and let me know what you think. Pofta buna! Bon appetit!
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