Moroccan Eggplant Salad

Blackened eggplant tossed with red onion, red wine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, parsley, toasted cumin, and salt. Eggplant salad sprinkled with remaining parsley and toasted cumin powder.

Ingredients -

1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds, toasted and ground into powder
1 pound firm Eggplant
1/4 cup Red Onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoon Sugar
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped Flat Leaf Parsley, divided
½ teaspoon Salt

Preparation:

1. Blacken whole eggplant in skillet over medium heat. Process will take 20-30 minutes. Turn eggplant frequently

2. Remove eggplant from skillet to cutting board. Cut off stem and discard.

3. Scrape eggplant flesh from skin. Coarsely chop flesh.

4. In serving bowl, toss eggplant with chopped red onion, red wine vinegar, sugar, 1-tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1-tablespoon flat leaf parsley, ½ teaspoon toasted cumin, and ½ teaspoon salt.

5. Drizzle salad with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle remaining parsley and cumin over top.

Cooking Tip

Salting Eggplant

Eggplant have many alkaloids in the them and they cause bitterness. Salt the flesh of eggplants after you slice them and place the slices in a colander for 20 minutes.

Cooking Tip

Chinese Eggplants

Chinese eggplants are available in several varieties. They are long, curved and slightly wider at one end. Choose Chinese eggplant that are firm with bright shiny skin.