Roasted Eggplant Salad

I've had eggplant on my mind for sometime now. Though I've written about it here and there, I most recently wanted to cook up something that involved the whole fruit (that purple skin is loaded with phytonutrients) and would be well-suited as a nutritious, on-the-go meal (warm or cold, in a wrap or pita, on some greens, etc). The following recipe satisfies these requests as well as it does a hungry belly at lunchtime.

Roasted Eggplant Salad
Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds)
• salt
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup flat parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped and toasted
• 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions

Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, and cumin. Dab away any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the dressing. Stir in the garlic. Spread the eggplant on a parchment-lined baking sheet and slide onto a rack placed in the center of the oven. Roast at 400°F for about 40 minutes or until very tender and slightly browned; be sure to stir one or twice to ensure the eggplant is not burning. As the eggplant roasts, chop and toast the almonds in a small pan over medium heat until they start to become slightly browned and fragrant.

Remove the eggplant from the oven and let it cool slightly. Whisk together the lemon juice and soy sauce. Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture. Stir in the parsley leaves, almonds, and most of the cheese, reserving a little. Spread the finished salad in a serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved cheese and scallions on top.


Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2012). This recipe was slightly adapted from the Kitchn.