Serves 4

Fattoush is the immensely appealing Middle Eastern bread salad that's something like Italian panzanella, a flavor-packed bowl that uses up stale bread, or in the case of fattoush, a flatbread such as pita or naan. Here we use naan, which is thicker than pita and ideal for a vegetable salad with lots of juices. Adding eggplant to the mix means it can stand alone as an entree or act as a side to grilled meat. The eggplant, cut into planks, goes onto the grill with a red bell pepper and naan, which is cooked whole and later torn into bite-sized pieces. A simple lemony vinaigrette seasoned with sumac, a Middle Eastern spice that has a slight lemony flavor, is tossed with the vegetables, fresh parsley and mint, and crumbled feta. It takes advantage of your farmers' market finds, CSA box, or, if you're lucky, your own home-grown harvest.

Canola or vegetable oil (for the grill)

1 large eggplant, cut lengthwise into ½-inch planks

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1 red bell pepper

2 rounds naan or other flatbread

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon sumac

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into half-moons

1 large tomato, cored and cut into thin wedges

½ red onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup crumbled feta

1. Light a charcoal grill or turn a gas grill to high. Brush the grill rack to clean it. With a wadded paper towel dipped into canola or vegetable oil, quickly brush the grill grates.

2. Brush the eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Set the eggplant on the grill with the bell pepper. Grill the eggplant for 5 minutes on a side, or until lightly charred and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Grill the pepper for 12 minutes, or until the skin is charred and blackened all over. Transfer the eggplant to a platter; when it is cool enough to handle, chop it roughly. Transfer the pepper to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap; when it is cool enough to handle, discard the stems from the pepper, halve it, discard the seeds, and pull off the charred skins. Chop the flesh roughly.

3. Set the naan or flatbread on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a side, or until toasted. When the rounds are cool enough to handle, tear them into bite-sized pieces.

4. In a bowl large enough to hold all the vegetables and bread, whisk the lemon juice, sumac, salt, and black pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

5. Add the cucumber to the dressing with the tomato, red onion, garlic, parsley, mint, eggplant, bell pepper, and naan. Toss gently but thoroughly. Sprinkle with feta. Karoline Boehm Goodnick