Roasted Eggplant Salad with Smoked Almonds & Feta

For a heartier meal option, stir cooked pasta into the eggplant mixture...or add the cold leftovers to a bowl of baby spinach for a hearty green salad.

Yield: 4-6 servings

For the roasted eggplant

2 large eggplants or 3 medium (use the scale when buying—you want about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt
1/4 cup (56 ml) olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (go grams) honey
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (check for GF as needed)
3/4 cup mix of fresh basil and parsley, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (1-3/4 ounces) smoked almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (2 ounces) feta or goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (optionally, omit and include fresh chives in the herb mix)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment (or lightly grease it).
Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt (I use about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon) and set aside while making the marinade.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cumin. Dab away or drain off any extra water that has beaded up on the eggplant and toss with the marinade. Spread the eggplant in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet, and place on the center oven rack. (No need to clean the bowl at this point.)
Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, or until very tender and lightly browned. Stir and redistribute every 15 minutes. (Note that food tends to cook faster on dark coated baking sheets, and the moisture level varies based on size of eggplant, so this will effect total cooking time. Check a few minutes early and add a few extra minutes if needed.) If you’d like a little extra browning, you may broil for a minute or two at the end, watching very closely to avoid burning. Remove from the oven.
Whisk together the lemon juice and soy sauce. Return the eggplant to the bowl and toss with the lemon juice mixture. Stir in the fresh herbs, smoked almonds, cheese, and scallions. (Tip: For a pretty presentation, reserve some of the add-ins for use as garnish, transfer the eggplant mixture to a serving bowl, and sprinkle the extras over top.)

Large eggplants are known to have a spongier texture, but this is less pronounced when the produce is fresh. Lightly salting, as described above, draws out some liquid and improves the texture, as does the extended roast time.
Tip:
If you’d like to do some of the prep in advance, the olive oil mixture and the lemon-soy mixture can be combined earlier in the day and sit at room temperature. The almonds and feta can also be chopped/crumbled well in advance. You may also chop and salt the eggplant 60-90 minutes before cooking. Note that a longer salting time will result in more moisture being drawn out of the eggplant and may necessitate a shorter roast time.