Refreshing Summertime Eggplant Salad
Recipe from Raleigh City Farm board member Miranda Miller
This is a refreshing summertime salad. Serve with a thick crusty bread or pita bread to soak up the delicious dressing.
Ingredients:
2 or 3 long eggplants (Japanese or any variety of slender eggplants—try to avoid older eggplants as their seeds can be unpleasant) peeled and sliced into ¾ inch segments.
1 large tomato diced in ½ inch squares
1 large sweet pepper (red, yellow or green are fine), diced in ½ inch squares
2 or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Handful of parsley, chopped (1/3 cup or so)
4 or 5 basil leaves, chopped
¼ cup chopped chives (if available)
1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh marjoram (or ½ tsp dried)
1 large clove crushed garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
5 tbsp. olive oil plus additional olive oil for roasting eggplant
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 oz. of feta cheese
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees
Spread sliced eggplant onto sheet pan, sprinkle with olive oil and roast until eggplant is soft and fork easily pierces the eggplant segments about 10-15 minutes (making sure to turn eggplant once or twice while roasting so eggplant is evenly browned).
While eggplant is roasting, combine lemon, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, basil, chives, thyme, marjoram, ½ tsp salt and pepper for dressing.
Remove eggplant from over and while it is still hot toss in bowl with dressing.
Add remaining vegetables and parsley and gently toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
When ready to serve, crumble feta cheese on salad and toss.