Casserole of Lentils, Eggplant, and Mint

Here’s a delicious summer recipe from the coastal town of Senköyon on the Bay of Iskenderun near the Turkish Mediterranean coast. In every home in this town there’s a small iron wood-burning stove called a kuzine that’s kept lit all day long, even in summer. These stoves are perfect for clay pot cooking—just what’s needed for this outstanding summer lentil dish.

What makes this dish stellar is the special technique used to prepare the eggplant slices. They are not merely salted but