Eggplant Bread Salad

Source: Washington Post recipe files

Ingredients

Servings: 4 (makes about 5 cups of salad)


1 cup bite-size pieces pita bread

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces (or halved, if using cherry tomatoes)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, plus more as needed

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 medium eggplant (about 12 ounces), trimmed and diced into 1-inch cubes

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tahini

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 green chile, such as jalapeño chile pepper or anaheim, thinly sliced

Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh mint, finely chopped

Directions

1. Make the salad: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

2. Arrange the bread on a large, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and toss to combine. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp but not browned. Remove from the oven and set aside. 

3. While the pita chips are baking, place the tomatoes in a large colander set over a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Set aside for at least 20 minutes, tossing occasionally, to let the juices drain into the bowl. 

4. Meanwhile, in a large, heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium high heat, add enough oil to come 3 inches up the sides and heat until it registers 350 degrees on an instant-read thermometer or until a morsel of bread immediately rises to the surface and bubbles vigorously when dropped in. Line a large plate with paper towels or clean kitchen towels and keep near the stove. 

5. Working in batches if necessary, fry the eggplant pieces until uniformly golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggplant to the towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

6. Measure 2 tablespoons of drained tomato juice into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice, tahini and a pinch of salt and stir to combine.

7. Transfer the tomatoes to a serving bowl and add the fried eggplant, scallions, chile, mint and pita chips. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and toss to combine. Let the salad sit for 5 to 10 minutes to let the bread absorb the dressing, then serve.