Recipe: Roasted Eggplant Salad with Almonds and Mint

from Diary of a Tomato

Roasted Eggplant Salad with Almonds & Mint

2 pounds eggplant (about 2 large)
Sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 to 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup mint, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

- Heat the oven to 400°F. Cut the unpeeled eggplant into 1-inch pieces. Place eggplant in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside while making the marinade.

- For marinade, whisk together the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic. Pat the eggplant dry, and toss with the marinade. Spread the eggplant on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper, and slide onto a rack positioned in the center of the oven. Roast at 400°F for 40 minutes, or until very tender and slightly browned. Stir every 15 minutes, and check after 30 minutes to make sure it isn’t burning. Remove from the oven and 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 mint, toasted almonds, and half of the scallions. Transfer salad to a serving bowl and sprinkle the reserved scallions on top. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4.

Posted: to Recipes on Tue, Aug 21, 2012
Updated: Tue, Aug 21, 2012