Grilled eggplant fattoush is a play on this Middle Eastern vegetable salad. Once grilled, eggplant becomes a whole different vegetable, mild and slightly bitter. When combined with fresh herbs, vegetables and crunchy pita, it is simply delicious.
Grilled Eggplant Fattoush
Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
3 slices of pita bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, chopped into cubes
2 large tomato, chopped
3 to 4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pitted or halved kalamata olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, minced
1/4 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon cumin
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Step 1: Slice eggplant lengthwise into thirds. Soak in water for 15 minutes. Drain eggplant and toss with olive oil and salt.
Step 2: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add eggplant to pan and cook for 8 minutes on each side or until tender. Remove from pan and cut into small cubes. Coat the pita bread in olive oil and toast until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, mint, parsley, feta, lemon juice and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 4: Add the grilled eggplant and pita and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
*Note: Add the pita bread at the last minute for more crunch. The longer it sits in the salad, the softer the bread will be.
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