Bulgur Wheat Salad with Tomato and Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1 cup bulgur wheat
- 1 eggplant, thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup basil leaves, torn
Preparation
- Heat broiler.
- Cook the bulgur according to the package directions.
- Arrange the eggplant slices on 2 baking sheets.
- Brush both sides with a total of 3 tablespoons of the oil.
- Broil the eggplant, 1 sheet pan at a time, until brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a large bowl.
- Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
- Fold in the basil.
- Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl and top with the eggplant and tomato mixture before serving.
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Eggplant
Long prized for its deeply purple, glossy beauty as well as its unique taste and texture, eggplants are at their very best when in season now from August through October.
The ancient ancestors of eggplant grew wild in India and were first cultivated in China in the 5th century B.C. For centuries after its introduction into Europe, eggplant was used more as a decorative garden plant than as a food. Not until new varieties were developed in the 18th century, did eggplant lose its bitter taste and bitter reputation, and take its now esteemed place in the cuisines of many European countries, including Italy, Greece, Turkey and France.
Eggplants belong to the nightshade family of vegetables, which also includes tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes. They grow in a manner much like tomatoes, hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height.
In addition to featuring a host of vitamins and minerals, eggplant also contains important phytonutrients, many which have antioxidant activity.
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