Summer Fest is cooking with Tomatoes this week. My favorite dishes to watch on TV or read about in my numerous food magazines are those that take a classic dish and give it a twist that makes it impressive, impressive enough that I think about it for days and can’t wait to make it. One such dish inspired my contribution to Summer Fest this week, Aarti Sequeira’s Caprese Salad with Roasted Mango Dressing. I loved the roasted dressing that gives a classic salad that impressive twist. I knew my fridge was bursting with CSA vegetables and that I needed to consider how to implement the roasted dressing with what I had – then it came to me take another classic dish Eggplant Parmesan and turn it into a Caprese Salad.
Eggplant Parmesan Caprese Salad
1 small eggplant
olive oil, drizzle for roasting
¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 T fresh basil, roughly chopped
½ t crushed red pepper
1 ½ T capers, rinsed and drained
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 – 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes, ¼ inch slices
1 8oz. ball of fresh Mozzarella cheese, ¼ inch slices
3-4 fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
Lightly drizzle olive oil on the whole eggplant and rub on the surface to cover. Wrap the eggplant in foil, place on a baking dish, and roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes – 1 hour. After 30 minutes check every 10 – 15 minutes until the eggplant gives to your touch. Remove from oven and let sit until it cools.
Place ¼ cup of Panko on a baking sheet and place in the 425 degree oven. Check after 1 minute, and continue checking regularly until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasted. Be careful, it happens quick!
Once the eggplant has cooled, peel off the skin and scrape the roasted pulp into an appropriate container for immersion blending or into a food processor. Add rough chopped basil, crushed red pepper, capers, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Puree with the immersion blender until well combined. Set aside dressing.
On a serving plate alternate tomato and cheese slices. Drizzle a line of the eggplant dressing down the middle of the tomato-cheese slices. Sprinkle the salad with the basil chiffonade and toasted Panko breadcrumbs.
Special Thanks to Aarti Sequeira’s Caprese Salad with Roasted Mango Dressing and “The Flavor Bible” by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg for the help they gave in creating this recipe.
Check out the rest of the Tomato Recipes from Summer Fest…
Eggplant Parmesan Caprese Salad
1 small eggplant
olive oil, drizzle for roasting
¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 T fresh basil, roughly chopped
½ t crushed red pepper
1 ½ T capers, rinsed and drained
2 T red wine vinegar
¼ extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 – 2 Beefsteak Tomatoes, ¼ inch slices
1 8oz. ball of fresh Mozzarella cheese, ¼ inch slices
3-4 fresh basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
Lightly drizzle olive oil on the whole eggplant and rub on the surface to cover. Wrap the eggplant in foil, place on a baking dish, and roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes – 1 hour. After 30 minutes check every 10 – 15 minutes until the eggplant gives to your touch. Remove from oven and let sit until it cools.
Place ¼ cup of Panko on a baking sheet and place in the 425 degree oven. Check after 1 minute, and continue checking regularly until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasted. Be careful, it happens quick!
Once the eggplant has cooled, peel off the skin and scrape the roasted pulp into an appropriate container for immersion blending or into a food processor. Add rough chopped basil, crushed red pepper, capers, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper. Puree with the immersion blender until well combined. Set aside dressing.
On a serving plate alternate tomato and cheese slices. Drizzle a line of the eggplant dressing down the middle of the tomato-cheese slices. Sprinkle the salad with the basil chiffonade and toasted Panko breadcrumbs.
Special Thanks to Aarti Sequeira’s Caprese Salad with Roasted Mango Dressing and “The Flavor Bible” by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg for the help they gave in creating this recipe.
Check out the rest of the Tomato Recipes from Summer Fest…
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Seared Chicken with Cherry Tomato Pan Sauce
Haute Apple Pie: Heirloom Tomato & Three Cheese Tart
What's Gaby Cooking: Zebra Tomato and Burrata Crostini
Zaika Zabardast: Balsamic Roasted Tomato-Basil Ice
And Love It Too: Healthy Lunchbox - Garlic Tomato Basil Pesto Bruchetta
Chez Us: Roasted Tomato Sauce
Daily*Dishin: Refreshing and Rustic - Tuscan Bread Salad
Glory Foods: Fresh Tomato Salsa
Dishin and Dishes: Tomato Tart Tatin
The Purple Cook: Eggplant Parmesan Caprese Salad
I Am Mommy: Tomato Crudite
Cooking With My Kid: Gluten-Free White Bean Chive Cakes with Heirloom Tomatoes
FN Dish: Easy Tomato Appetizers
Add a Pinch: Simple Caprese Salad Skewers
Sweet Life Bake: Salsa Cruda
Virtually Homemade: Farfalle with Roasted Tomato Sauce, Bacon and Shaved Romano
Dixie Chik Cooks: Tomato, Basil and Olive Bruschetta
The Sensitive Epicure: Yemista - Greek Stuffed Tomatoes & Peppers with Potatoes
Mooshu Jenne: Sun Burst Tomato Pasta
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Book Club, Tomatoes and a Recipe for Chicken Provençal?
Cooking With Elise: Tomato Parmesan Biscuits
From My Corner of Saratoga: Cooking from the Garden - Bruschetta Pizza
Fritos and Foie Gras: Tomato Terrine
Creative Culinary: Fresh and Savory Tomato Pie
Big Apple Nosh: Caprese Salad/Tomato Carnage
Spices and Aroma: Quick and Easy Paneer Curry
Zaika Zabardast: Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Breakfast Rolls
I like the idea of adding roasted eggplant in the caprese salad; makes for a wonderfully light meal. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us all. Chez Us - Denise.
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