This is a thoroughly satisfying, hearty and savoury salad made with minimal fuss by roasting eggplant slices rubbed with sumac, making a garlic balsamic dressing in a mason jar and tossing it all together in a bowl with some lentils, dried cherries and herbs. Need some quick vegan and gluten-free lunch inspiration on a busy weekday? Make this salad!
A few months ago I bought the Messermeister Pro-Touch garlic press. Honestly, I don’t know how I survived all these years without one. It is one of the most useful kitchen gadgets I own. Now mincing garlic is quick and kinder to my hands. No more tedious garlic mincing with a knife! And it is also self-cleaning. So with some help from classic ingredients like garlic and some spice, this extremely easy salad is big on flavour. All those delightful, warm Mediterranean flavours will most definitely heighten your senses before you take your first bite. I love eating this cold. I have always loved cold roasted eggplant for some unexplainable reason. But others prefer it a bit warmed up which then takes it to yet another level. It tastes amazing when slightly warmed up in the microwave on the second day after the spices have had a chance to develop.
Dried cherries are hard to come by. I sun-dry pitted cherries in season and freeze them but they don’t last very long. When I can’t find cherries, I sub them with dried cranberries, chopped dried figs or dried goji berries. I have been seriously considering buying a dehydrator. Do any of you have one? Would you be able to recommend a good brand here in Australia? If you make this salad (it is so simple!) please share a picture with me by tagging me #cookrepublic on social media.
On another note, I have been thrilled to be nominated as Australia’s favourite blogging alumni on Kidspot. If you vote for me and I win, I stand to score a $7.5k business grant and Kidspot will donate another $2.5k to my favourite charity Save The Children, which is the world’s largest non-profit organisation striving to protect, nourish, educate and care for the rights of underprivileged children. Furthermore, I have decided to donate $1k from my own business grant to this charity if I win. I have been supporting them monthly for over 10 years and this $3.5k donation will be huge for their ongoing work with children. Please vote for me (as many times as you like). Thanks for all your support! x
SUMAC ROASTED EGGPLANT, LENTIL AND CHERRY SALAD
Ingredients
- 2 Lebanese eggplants, quartered lengthways
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 400 g can of lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup (80 g) dried cherries
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 1 cup packed flat leaf parsley, to serve
- handful fresh oregano leaves or greens, to serve
for the dressing
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons caramelised balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds + extra to serve
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place eggplant, salt, sumac and olive oil in a medium bowl. Toss gently to combine. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 20 minutes.
- To make the dressing, place all ingredients for dressing in a lidded mason jar and shake well to combine. Dressing can me made up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge.
- Place lentils, cherries and onion in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix well. Top with roasted eggplant slices and garnish with parsley, greens and extra sesame seeds.
Notes
This looks beaut Sneh, will have to try. I have the following dehydrator and it works brilliantly and reasonably inexpensive. I have dried pretty much every fruit and veg and apart from tomato it is awesome.
https://www.sunbeam.com.au/Cooking/Food-Dehydrators/DT5600-Food-Dehydrator.aspx
Alicia, Thanks! Looks nice and compact. I like Sunbeam as a brand, have owned many of their appliances over the years. Will check this one out! x
Sneh, how great is Sumac? It’s my latest obsession!
Beautiful shots as always! And I have voted for you!
xx
It is, isn’t it? A recent obsession of mine too. Hayden cooked chickpeas with it during the workshop and I couldn’t stop using it after. Thanks for your support Erin. x
Voted! Good luck! And yes to lentils again and again, especially if they come with this fantastic combination of flavours!
Lovely! I too love eggplant……it has this amazing ability to absorb flavours, and I think roasting enhances that even more.
Good luck for the award Sneh!
I adore sumac and eggplant. Lentils don’t get me hopping but what I way to get me excited about it!!! 😉 This looks divine, totally my type of salad. In fact, I have everything to make it, might have it for lunch today!
Sneh this salad looks incredible! Gorgeous middle-eastern flavours, especially with that sumac eggplant, fresh herbs and lemony dressing, plus the texture of dried cherries (very impressed that you make your own, by the way!). I imagine it would be stunning with hummus and lamb for a full dinner (and would make awesome leftovers!!). Definitely saving, and I have voted for you! X
Hi Sneh
I love reading your recipes even if I don’t often cook them. In fact I almost never cook since I had an accident many years ago and now my poor husband has to do everything including cooking. I like the sound of this, but where can I get sumac? We live in country Victoria where such things are unheard of.
Thanks. BTW I voted for you – best of luck.
Chris
Hi Christina! Thanks for stopping by and love that you enjoy reading the posts. You can find Sumac at any Woolies or Coles in the spice section https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/browse/pantry-international-health-food/herbs-spices-l-z?name=woolworths-select-sumac-ground&productId=251222. Alternatively many online grocers, Thomas Dux and independent green grocers also stock Sumac in their spice sections. x
Thank you. I don’t do the shopping so I never really know what is available where – I will pass this info on to DB who does do the shopping.
A beautiful and delicious salad! Great flavours and tasty combination. Just what I like.
Cheers,
Rosa
Sneh this salad looks beautiful! I absolutely adore your photography and your recipes always inspire! ????
This was quite delicious! Loved the use of cherries. Though next time I’ll add less, because I found it a bit too sweet (since the dressing itself is already very sweet).
This was delicious- had it as a mid week dinner and it was so tasty and lovely to prepare. Thanks Sneh- your recipes are really enriching our lives!