Roasted Creamy Eggplant Salad

The first time I planted Black Beauty eggplant, I thought she was the prettiest plant in the garden. Then, I grew her cousin, the fairy tale eggplant, and I thought she was the prettiest plant in the garden… with her petite purple and white stripes, tender creamy flesh, fewer seeds and delivering a less bitter taste.

Sometimes, when I have a beautiful vegetable, I want to keep it simple and enhance its natural flavor without any other competition: grilled eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper. Below, served with sautéed Sea Bass, peeled heirloom tomatoes, limas and a champagne vinaigrette. Remember, vinaigrette aren’t just for salad.

It’s also fun to incorporate flavors together for something extraordinary: a creamy roasted eggplant dressing – a recipe from my latest cookbook obsession – Yotam Ottolenghi’s Flavor.

Roasted Eggplant Dressing

• 2 eggplants – roasted – flesh only
• 5 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove – minced
• 3 tbs greek yogurt
• 2 tsb Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise.

Score the flesh, sprinkle with salt, and turn them upside down on a wire rack to rest for 10 minutes. The salt will extract the bitterness from the eggplant. Pat dry with paper towel. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper. Roast in a pre heated 400 degree oven, flesh side up, for 35 – 40 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Remove and let cool. Scrape out the flesh and combine with all ingredients in a food processor and mix until creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use. Dizzle generously over salad ingredients.

Salad Ingredients

• Mixed greens – I used butter lettuce and spinach
• breakfast radishes – sliced thin with a mandoline
• 1 avocado – pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced (with a squeeze of lime juice)
• Parmesan cheese – finely grated – a dusting
• toasted almonds
• roasted pumpkin seeds

To toast almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place slivered almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 4-5 minutes or until golden. Set a timer and watch closely – they can easily burn. Use all your senses in the kitchen! You’ll smell their nutty aroma as they start to roast