Grilled Smoky Eggplant Salad

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 34 mins Cook Time: 11 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb eggplant (about 2)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• olive oil flavored cooking spray
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• 1 small plum tomato, diced
• 1 small garlic clove, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika (spanish paprika necessary for the integrity of the dish)
• 3 cups mixed baby greens
• 2 ounces manchego cheese, cut into thin curls with a vegetable peeler (necessary for the integrity of the dish)

Recipe

• 1 preheat grill to medium.
• 2 cut stripes in each eggplant’s peel by running a vegetable peeler down the length of it and repeating at about 1-inch intervals.
• 3 slice the eggplants into rounds 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick.
• 4 lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. let stand for about 5 minutes.
• 5 blot the eggplant slices with paper towels and lightly coat both sides with olive oil spray.
• 6 grill the eggplant, flipping halfway through, until soft and caramelized on both sides, 9 to 11 minutes total.
• 7 puree oil, vinegar, tomato, garlic, paprika and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender until well combined.
• 8 toss salad greens with half the vinaigrette in a medium bowl.
• 9 arrange the eggplant slices on 6 salad plates.
• 10 drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.
• 11 place the salad greens over and between the eggplant slices, then scatter the cheese curls on top of each salad.
• 12 serve warm or at room temperature.