Composed Mediterranean Salad

This is one of those beautiful, show stopping salads that can be the center of a meal. Eliminate the cheese to make it vegan, or use nut based cheese. With a soup and some warm bread, this dish is one and done. It’s large and can easily be a main course for four. I made it up based on these adorable mini Indian  that were whispering to me in the supermarket. I’d never seen eggplants so small, and I’m a sucker for anything mini. I wasn’t planning of “composing” the salad into rows for serving, but the ingredients were just all so beautiful and colorful in their own right. I decided to showcase them by lining them up on a bed of dressed greens. It’s a fun way to have guests serve themselves, and a nice change from a salad that’s already jumbled together.

Ingredients:

A dozen mini Indian eggplants.

Two cups julienned sun dried tomatoes (I cut mine lengthwise into thirds).

A bunch of fresh basil.

Two can pitted green or kalamata olives halved width wise.

A cup of baby kale leaves per person, using at least two.

Three cups of cooked brown lentils, cooked according to package directions. Two is fine if you’re serving three or less.

A cup or bunch of chopped scallions.

A container of feta cheese, pearled, crumbled, or cubed.

Directions:

Cook lentils and set aside.

Preheat your broiler. Cut the eggplants lengthwise and put in a tin pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub with a light sprinkling of salt, pepper, smoked or regular paprika, dried oregano and cumin. Use your judgement with the seasoning, keeping in mind that the dressing will add a lot of flavor. Broil the eggplants cut side up until slightly blackened and a deep golden brown. Test to ensure fork tenderness. Prep all other ingredients and keep in their own bowls.

Dressing;

3/4 each fresh lemon juice and olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

A heaping tsp of cumin, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp pepper.

Whisk well. To assemble salad; choose a large rimmed square, white platter. Lightly dress the greens with the cup of the chopped scallions, using half the dressing. Place evenly on the platter as a base. Then line up the rest of the ingredients in neat rows, balancing color and scale. For example, don’t put two things of the same color next to each other; spread the love. This makes the dish so visually appealing. Feta can be in a row or artfully scattered. Place medium whole basil leaves prettily throughout. Drizzle the rest of the dressing on top, and take me to Greece.