Categories: Salads

Balsamic Eggplant and Pepper Salad with Golden Raisins

8 years ago

Christine Datian continues to wow people with her culinary creativity.
Another of her creations can be found on the California Raisin website – and –
right here on The Armenian Kitchen!

Try her latest tasty treat … a salad featuring roasted eggplant and
California golden raisins.

California Golden Raisins

Balsamic Eggplant and Pepper Salad with Golden Raisins

by Christine Vartanian Datian

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium Japanese
eggplants

1 each red and green bell pepper, sliced or diced

1 medium red onion, minced

1/4 cup fresh chopped mint

1/4 cup California golden raisins

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley

3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh basil, loosely packed

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

2 lemons, juiced

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

Cayenne or Aleppo pepper to taste

Garnish: Chopped roasted walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Puncture eggplants with a fork and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until soft, turning
occasionally.

Cool eggplant, peel, and scoop into a medium bowl.

In another bowl, toss together the bell peppers, onions,
mint, raisins, garlic, balsamic vinegar, sugar, parsley, basil, salt, pepper,
lemon juice and the olive oil. Add the
jalapeno pepper and cayenne or Aleppo pepper, and toss. Pour this mixture over the eggplant, and toss
to coat well.

Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight before serving. Add more lemon juice or olive oil, if
desired. Garnish with chopped roasted
walnuts before serving.