Silky Eggplant With Almond Salsa and Yogurt

Name: Silky Eggplant With Almond Salsa and Yogurt
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 3 small or 2 medium Italian eggplant (about 24 ounces total); Kosher salt; 1/2 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt; Juice of 1/2 lemon, plus more for serving; 2 garlic cloves, 1 smashed and 1 minced; 1 teaspoon plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil; 2 heaping tablespoons torn or roughly chopped mint; Black pepper; 2/3 cup roughly chopped almonds; 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar; 1 Fresno or Serrano pepper, minced; 8 ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes; Pita bread, for serving (optional)

By Sarah Jampel

Total Time: About 50 minutes
Rating: 4(333)
Comments: Read comments

Eggplant that’s silky-soft and bubbly-brown all over (rather than tough, oily or fossil-like) is a revelation — and, with just a little maneuvering, it’s not that hard. You’ll want to sear the eggplant slices in hot oil, cover them for a minute or two, until they’re soft, and then add a touch more oil until they’re beautifully golden. You could, of course, eat these rounds on their own (and you might!), but spicy almond salsa, cubes of salty, crispy halloumi, and a bed of garlicky yogurt make them a full meal (especially if have warmed pita for swiping everything up). While salting the eggplant slices before you cook isn’t completely necessary, it will help draw out some of the vegetable’s moisture, making it less prone to bitterness and oil saturation.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

3small or 2 medium Italian eggplant (about 24 ounces total)
Kosher salt
½ cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
Juice of ½ lemon, plus more for serving
2garlic cloves, 1 smashed and 1 minced
1teaspoon plus ¼ to ½ cup olive oil
2heaping tablespoons torn or roughly chopped mint
Black pepper
⅔cup roughly chopped almonds
3tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1Fresno or Serrano pepper, minced
8ounces halloumi cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
Pita bread, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Line a colander with paper towels or a clean dishcloth. Slice the eggplant into ¾- to 1-inch rounds, place in the colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, until water beads on top of the eggplant.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt with the lemon juice, smashed garlic clove, 1 teaspoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the torn mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Step 3
In a heavy pan with high sides over medium heat, toast the chopped almonds until golden brown and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. Remove pan from the heat and transfer nuts to a medium bowl, then add the red-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, minced garlic clove and Fresno pepper. Mix and season with salt to taste.
Step 4
Set up a plate or cutting board lined with paper towels next to the stove. Wipe out the pan you were working with and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Blot the moisture from the eggplant, and when the oil is hot, add the slices in a single layer (you’ll probably have to work in batches). Cook until brown, then flip, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. While browning, as the eggplant is getting dry, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil and cover the pan for 1 to 2 minutes. The eggplant will be fork-tender and golden brown on both sides when finished. Transfer to the paper towel-lined surface and sprinkle with salt.
Step 5
When you’ve finished cooking the eggplant, add the cubed cheese to the hot pan, leaving any residual oil (add a teaspoon of olive oil if there’s not enough left in the pan). Sauté, stirring frequently, until brown and crisp all over. Remove pan from the heat.
Step 6
Spread the yogurt on a platter. Arrange the eggplant and halloumi on top, then scatter with almond salsa. Garnish with remaining torn mint, then sprinkle with any leftover lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Serve with pita.

Ratings

4 out of 5

333 user ratings

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Comments

Ian6 years ago

If halloumi cheese is not available, can anyone recommend a substitute?

Lisa6 years ago

Ian, If you can’t find Halloumi at Whole Foods or speciality shops, you may use Queso Blanco which is carried more widely and can be purchased at Costco or Sam’s Club. Unlike Queso Fresco, meant for crumbling, it has the appearance & texture of part skim mozzarella. It is salty, like Halloumi, and can be sautéed, broiled or grilled. It would be a good substitute.

c6 years ago

Or brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and toast them in your sandwich press between pieces of baking paper. They will absorb much less oil.

Debra4 months ago

This is absolutely delicious. Each part of the recipe is necessary and combines to make a beautiful meal. I did not use pita. It is great without it. I didn’t have red wine vinegar the second time I made this, but used white balsamic vinegar and it was just as good as when I used the red wine vinegar the first time.

quaasam10 months ago

Very nice. Added some roasted peppers. Serve with yogurt sauce on the side and pita.

Nico1 year ago

Delicious!!!!! I can’t get Fresno peppers so substituted small red Thai peppers (I love spicy!), and I’m not a fan of mint but had some fresh parsley I needed to use so swapped that. Otherwise followed the recipe and loved it!!!

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