Smoky Eggplant & Tomato Salad
If you are anything like me (ie have the attention span of a child), just one glance at these photos is all you require to label this salad rather basic and move on to a more exciting recipe a few posts down. But I promise this salad is so much more then what meets the eye.
It’s all about the flavour, a deliciously rich and smoky flavour that comes from charring the eggplant over an open gas flame until it is burnt and blistered. I usually roast eggplant in the oven, but cooking it over an open flame is an absolute revelation. Combining the chopped smoky eggplant with tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley and lemon gives this salad amazing depth in flavour with just 6 ingredients. If you have an electric stove, you can get the same charred effect by grilling the eggplant over the flame of a barbeque or by putting it under a broiler.
I love eating this salad as a light lunch, but it is also fantastic served on chicken or lamb, or can even be served as a salsa with pita. This salad will last for a few days in the fridge, but may become dry as the eggplant has time to absorb the liquid, so lightly toss it with more olive oil before eating.
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Smoky Eggplant & Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 1/3 cup red onion finely diced
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Wash and dry the eggplant and prick 2-3 times with a fork. You can either use a gas flame stove or grill to char the egpplant. Using tongs, hold the eggplant to the flame until the skin begins to darken and blister all over. Set aside and allow to cool.
- Using a knife, peel the skin off the eggplants. Cut the eggplant into small 1/4 inch cubes and place in a bowl.
- Cut the tomatoes into small 1/4inch sized cubes and add to the bowl of eggplant along with the red onion,lemon juice,parsley, crushed garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and stir well to combine. Serve at room temperature. This salad will last for 2 days stored in the fridge.
Need to make these immediately! My mouth is watering!