Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Styling by Barrett Washburne.

When summer cooking feels like too much, the simple formula of grilled vegetables served with an herby dressing and a ball of burrata will get you through the season. Here, grilled or seared eggplant is bathed in an herbaceous, lemony caper-infused olive oil for a light dinner or side dish. Salt-packed capers work best, as they are generally larger and have a petal-like shape that opens up when fried, resulting in a crisp shell that is crunchy and salty (but, brined capers work, too). Make sure to dry the capers well before frying to prevent aggressive spitting when they hit hot oil. Fried capers are highly snackable, so consider making a double batch. Serve with bread, flatbread or, for something heartier, pasta.

45 minutes (or 5 minutes if everything’s already cooked)

15 minutes, plus at least 8 hours' storing

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