Italian Style Eggplant & Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lg Eggplant
• 2 lg Bell peppers -- red or green
• 2 lg Celery stalks
• Olive oil for sauteeing
• 2 each Garlic cloves -- minced
• 1/4 cup Olive oil
• 1/4 cup Red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• Salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup Black olives -- chopped

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Place whole eggplant, unpeeled, on a rack in oven.
• Wrap the two peppers & celery stalks individually in aluminum foil & place them on rack as well.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove peppers & celery & let cool.
• Bake eggplant for another 15 minutes.
• It should be very tender & have collapsed.
• When vegetables are cool enough to handle, peel eggplant, cut into several pieces & drain in a colnder for 20 minutes.
• Squeeze out some of the excess moisture.
• Chop peppers, removing stems & seeds.
• Leave in large pieces.
• Chop celery into 1/2" pieces.
• Dice eggplant & combnie with peppers & celery in a large bowl.
• Heat a few drops of olive oil in a skillet & saute the garlic till golden.
• Add to hte bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients & mix thoroughly.
• Cover & let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before serving.