- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 1/2 cup dried currants
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Eggplant
- 3 small eggplants (about 1 pound)
- olive oil
- salt
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, some left whole and some torn
Charred Peppers
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 padrón peppers
- salt
- 6 slices toasted crusty white bread
To make the sherry vinaigrette, cut the onion into paper-thin slices. Place the slices in a bowl and add the vinegar, currants, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine and let stand for 5 minutes. The onions will turn bright pink. Add 1/2 cup olive oil.
To prepare the eggplant, preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a rimmed nonstick liner.
Cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices 1/4 inch thick. Generously brush both sides of each slice with olive oil and arrange on the prepared sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Bake until the slices are very soft, about 20 minutes. Let the eggplant slices cool and then transfer them to a shallow serving dish. Top with the basil leaves and pour the sherry vinaigrette over the slices. Let marinate for about 30 minutes before serving.
Char the peppers right before serving, making sure the kitchen is well ventilated. Place the 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and heat over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke, add the peppers and cook, without moving them, for 1 minute. Shake the skillet so the peppers flip over, or turn them with a spatula. Cook on the second side for 1 minute. Season the peppers with a pinch of salt and transfer to the serving dish with the eggplant.
Spoon the eggplant and peppers onto the toasted bread. Moisten with the marinade and serve.