Herby Aubergine Tomato Salad Recipes

HERBY AUBERGINE & TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Tip the aubergine into a colander, sprinkle all over with salt, then place a plate or bowl on top and weight down with a can. Leave for 30 mins, until some of the juices have run out. Meanwhile, make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together and set aside.
• Squeeze any excess juices from the aubergines and brush away the salt. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan and gently fry the aubergine pieces until they are golden brown on both sides. As they absorb the oil quickly, it is important to fry them over a low heat, so that they soften and turn golden without needing to add more olive oil.
• Tip the aubergine chunks into a shallow bowl and keep warm. Quickly toss the cherry tomatoes around the pan to soften and lightly blister, then add them to the bowl. Add the fresh herbs and pour over the dressing. Toss gently and serve.

HERBY CABBAGE SALAD

Steps:

• Stir together the oil, vinegar, mustard, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large salad bowl. Add the cabbage, parsley, chives, oregano and thyme and toss to coat. Let stand at least 15 minutes or refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving.

HERBY BARLEY SALAD WITH BUTTER-BASTED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Cook barley in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender, 50-60 minutes for hulled or hull-less, 20-30 minutes for pearl. Drain; spread out on a baking sheet and let cool.
• Meanwhile, cook shallots in vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling pan occasionally to keep shallots from burning, until golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Let cool. Set shallot cooking oil aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Arrange mushrooms in skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until undersides are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper, toss, and continue to cook, tossing often and reducing heat as needed to avoid scorching, until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes longer.
• Reduce heat to medium and add thyme sprigs, garlic, and butter to skillet. Tip skillet toward you so butter pools at edge and use a spoon to baste mushrooms with foaming butter; cook until butter smells nutty. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a small bowl, leaving thyme and garlic behind.
• Toss cooled barley, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, 1 1/2 oz. Parmesan, and 2 Tbsp. reserved shallot oil in a large bowl to combine; season with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms; toss again to combine.
• Just before serving, top with fried shallots and more shaved Parmesan.
• Do ahead
• Barley can be cooked 1 day ahead. Let cool; store airtight and chill. Dish can be made 3 hours ahead; store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

HERBY SNAP PEA AND RADISH SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the snap peas and cook until the snap peas are bright green but still tender-crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the snap peas to a bowl of ice water. Set aside.
• Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill, chives, mint, oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Drain the snap peas and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Add the radishes to the bowl and toss well to thoroughly coat the vegetables in the dressing.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Arrange eggplant slices on a plate and sprinkle both sides with salt. Let sit until juicy, 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place slices on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
• Remove eggplant from the oven and let cool down. Cut into 1/4-inch squares.
• Combine eggplant, tomatoes, parsley, and onion in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and gently mix to combine. Add olive oil and mix again before serving.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH NECTARINES, AVOCADO, AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Whisk oil and vinegar together in a bowl.
• Place the sliced tomatoes on a platter and drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette and sprinkle with a pinch of regular salt. Place half the arugula on top of the tomatoes, then add the nectarine and avocado slices. Add the balance of the arugula and gently toss ingredients with the balance of the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more pepper.

HERBY AUBERGINE (EGGPLANT)

Steps:

• Mix the oil, lemon juice and herbs.
• Add the sliced aubergine and toss, making sure it gets well coated.
• Leave to stand for 30 minutes Season with salt and pepper.
• (If you prefer you can add the salt& pepper to the marinade).
• Griddle or grill for approx 5 mins each side, until chargrilled.

AUBERGINE (EGGPLANT) IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a blender, whizz the garlic, ginger and chillies with just enough water to form a thin paste.
• Cut the aubergines lengthwise into four thick slices, then cut across into 1 ½ inch thick chunks; heat the sunflower oil in a wide lidded pan and fry the aubergines in batches until completely tender and reddish-brown on both sides; when each batch is finished, lift from the pan using a slotted spoon and place in a sieve over a bowl; leave for 30 minutes to drain off the surplus oil.
• In the same pan, use 2 tablespoons of the drained oil and heat through; add the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds and fry for a few seconds; add the tomato, tomato puree, garlic/ginger/chilli paste, turmeric and salt; cook gently, stirring well, for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
• Add the drained aubergines to the tomato sauce, cover the pan and cook gently for about 15 minutes.
• Serve at once, or leave overnight in the fridge for the flavours to develop; sprinkle with cilantro leaves before serving.

GRILLED AUBERGINE & TOMATO SALAD

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan. Brush sliced aubergine with olive oil, then grill for 3 mins on each side. Put in a bowl and cover with cling film for 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, mix chopped tomatoes with the garlic clove, red chilli, olive oil and red wine vinegar and allow to stand for 10 mins. Lay the aubergine on a platter, pour over the tomatoes with their juices and finish with basil.

HERBY TOMATO SALAD WITH TAMARIND-MAPLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Start the salad: Cut the tomatoes into different shapes - this creates different textures and visual interest - and place them in a colander. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, and set in the sink to drain as you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Place a strainer over a heatproof bowl. Line a baking sheet or large plate with paper towels.
• Prepare the fried shallots: Add the oil and shallots to a medium saucepan, and place over low heat. Bring the oil to a simmer, stirring the shallots with a fork to separate the rings. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the shallots are light golden brown, watching them closely, as they will brown quickly toward the end of their cooking. (Don't let the shallots brown too much, as they will continue to cook after you take them out of the oil.)
• Remove the shallots to the strainer to drain, then transfer them to the paper towels. Season with salt and allow to cool. Reserve the oil. Shallots can be fried 5 days ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Prepare the dressing: Whisk together all the ingredients.
• Assemble the salad: Combine the tomatoes, two-thirds of the herbs and scallions, and half the dressing. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. To finish, top with the remaining dressing, a drizzle of the shallot cooking oil and the rest of the herbs and scallions, then finally with the fried shallots. (Reserve remaining shallot oil for other uses, like vinaigrettes, stir-fries and soups.)

HERBY POTATO SALAD WITH SMASHED OLIVES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot; add 2 teaspoons salt and enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, until just tender when pierced with a fork. (Be careful not to overcook!) Drain and set aside until just cool enough to handle.
• While the potatoes cook, in a large bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the olives, shallot and capers, and set aside to marinate for 10 to 20 minutes.
• When the potatoes are just cool enough to handle, cut them in half (or quarters, to end up with bite-size pieces), and add them to the bowl with the dressing. Gently combine and set aside to cool completely, tossing occasionally.
• Stir in the mint and parsley, along with more salt and pepper to taste, and serve the potato salad at room temperature.