My one and only brother got married over the weekend (hooray!) and amid the festivities, I experienced a handful of firsts, including getting a mani-pedi (one of the pre-wedding activities), witnessing the groom dance (he’s not bad!) and meeting my three new adorable first cousins once removed.
I also got to catch up briefly with relatives and family friends, most of whom I hadn’t seen since Jason and I tied the knot. Needless to say, I lost my voice and feeling in my toes by the end of the reception, sure signs of a good time.
Come Sunday, I was ready for a little R & R but also anxious to cook something. So I settled on making this easy grilled eggplant salad, which is delicious as is, paired with pita chips or piled on lettuce. Double the recipe if you want leftovers – you won’t regret it; in fact, the mélange tastes better the next day.
Recipe adapted from Food Network.
- 1 large eggplant
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- freshly ground black pepper
- Asiago cheese, shaved
- Slice eggplant lengthwise into thirds. Soak in water for 15 minutes. Drain eggplant and toss with olive oil and salt.
- 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.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, oregano and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with Asiago cheese and serve.
