LaVerne’s Baked Eggplant Salad

My mom, LaVerne, made this eggplant salad as far back as I can remember. We had what was known as a potato baker: a stovetop “pot” that consisted of a round metal bottom that had holes in it so the heat could travel up and a tall domed lid with a black knob on top. It was usually reserved for making the best baked potatoes, but it worked perfectly for baking eggplant without having to turn on the oven. Once the salad was made, it was transferred to a round turquoise-and-white Pyrex dish tha