Salad of fresh herbs and greens with fried eggplant
Delight in a fragrant mix of garden-fresh herbs and vibrant greens topped with crispy, golden fried eggplant. A taste of summer in every bite!
Ingredients:
- small shallot, minced
- tablespoons Champagne vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- /4 teaspoon (or more) ground sumac* (optional)
- /4 teaspoon ground cumin
- tablespoons (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cups (loosely packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1/2 cups (loosely packed) arugula, torn if large
- cup (loosely packed) small fresh basil leaves
- cup (loosely packed) torn fresh sorrel or baby spinach leaves
- cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves
- /3 cup (loosely packed) 1-inch pieces fresh chives
- /3 cup (loosely packed) fresh chervil leaves (optional)
- 10-to-12-ounce eggplants, stems cut off
- Coarse kosher salt
- Nasturtium blossoms or other edible flowers (optional)
Instructions:
- Combine diced shallot, vinegar, a hint of sumac, and cumin in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of oil while whisking. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Mix the herbs and greens in a large bowl. You can prepare the dressing and salad 2 hours in advance. Cover each separately and keep them chilled until serving time.
- Using a vegetable peeler, peel the eggplant in vertical strips, leaving a striped pattern, with about 1 to 1 1/2 inches of space between each strip. Slice the eggplants into rounds of about 1/3-inch thickness. Place the rounds in a large colander, sprinkle generously with kosher salt, and toss gently to coat evenly. Allow the rounds to sit until they soften and release moisture, tossing occasionally for about an hour. Rinse each round individually and squeeze out excess moisture. Arrange the rounds in a single layer on paper towels and pat them dry with more paper towels.
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. In batches, fry the eggplant rounds until they turn golden and tender, adding more oil as needed, for about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fried eggplant to paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Arrange the eggplant rounds overlapping on a platter. Sprinkle with pepper and additional sumac if desired. Toss the herbs and greens with the dressing; season with salt and pepper. Place the salad on top of the eggplant rounds. Optionally, garnish with nasturtium blossoms before serving.
- *Sumac is a tangy spice made from crushed dried sumac berries. It adds fruitiness and acidity to dishes. You can find it in Middle Eastern markets or online at Adriana's Caravan (adrianascaravan.com).
Summary:
- Calories: 1098 kcal
- Fat: 98 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Carbs: 55 g
- Potassium: 2439 mg
- Magnesium: 217 mg