Persian Smokey Eggplant Salad (Yum!)
This recipe is a variation (my interpretation) of a recipe from the book, Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East and Beyond. I was recently offered the book to review and am pretty excited about it (and it takes a lot for me to get excited about a new cookbook these days). I am not really that familiar with the cuisines of Persia, or modern day Iran (which is one of the oldest cuisines in the world), but I am familiar with the flavors in these recipes...very fresh and bright flavors. And while the recipes may be simple the flavors are complex and multi-layered. At any rate, this recipe is really easy to make and also really delicious...it is definitely one I will make again (and likely again and again). Plus it is a lot of fun cooking the eggplant over an open flame.
Persian Smokey Eggplant Salad
Serves
8
4
large eggplant
½
red bell pepper, diced small
½
green bell pepper, diced small
¼
red onion, diced small
2
cloves garlic, minced
2
teaspoons smoked paprika
1
teaspoon ground cumin
½
teaspoon crushed red pepper
½
teaspoon sea salt
3
tablespoons lemon juice
2
tablespoons virgin olive oil
1
bunch flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Cook
the eggplant by placing them directly over an open flame of a gas
stove. Turn the eggplant as needed. The skin will blister and
blacken; it will look burnt. Continue to cook and turn the eggplant
until it is very soft and heated throughout. Transfer the eggplant to
a clean surface and allow to cool enough to handle. Gently peel away
the blackened skin while placing the flesh of the eggplant in a
colander over a sink to drain any excess moisture. Coarse-chop the
flesh of the eggplant and transfer it to a bowl with the remainder of
the ingredients. Gently stir and fold the salad to thoroughly
incorporate the ingredients. Allow the salad to rest for a few
minutes prior to serving. Serve warm or chilled with toasted garlic
bread or wedges of pita.
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