Eggplant Boat Salad

Eggplant Boats are filled with mozzarella and then placed on a bed of fresh tomatoes. I use them to make my Eggplant Boat Salad Sometimes I buy too many vegetables, but this long eggplants will work.  They are still firm.  Many Italians claim the eggplant as their own; the truth is that it was cultivated in India and China for more than 1500 years.  Both my Calabrese and Sicilian roots have their version of cooking the perfect eggplant dish. This simple dish relies on good ingredients.  Always use your best olive oil to dress salads and finishing drizzles.  My olive oil today comes from California.  Grateful to my friend Rolla for sharing. 🙂

I love using it in pasta or a good relish.  Today is the day after Thanksgiving and I want something light. This is my Eggplant Boat Salad.  Served with some fresh bread, it makes a nice light supper while tantalizing the taste buds.  When I visit Italy my relatives and friends relish the simple flavour of fresh food. tonight I want to enjoy the flavours and sip a good glass of wine and take my time eating this salad.  Let’s get back to slow food and really savour our food and drinks.  Let’s get back to healthy.

Another healthy eggplant recipe of mine:  https://recipesatmytable.com/the-best-grilled-eggplant-parmigiana/

For the different types of eggplants check out: https://www.homestratosphere.com/types-of-eggplant/

Ingredients

• 2 large Japanese Eggplants
• 1/2 a mozzarella ball ( sliced)
• slat and pepper
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking eggplant
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of good olive oil for dressing

 

The Process

These are two long Ping Tung eggplants also referred to as Japanese eggplant.  Wash them and lean off the tips. 

Slice each eggplant in half and then make slits on the diagonal without cutting through.

This is fresh mozzarella and I cut slices to put into the diagonals of the eggplant.

The eggplants curl up a bit.  I place them on a stone pizza round because they will crips. Season them with salt, pepper and the Italiansseasoning.  Drizzle the oil over them. 

Place them in a 375F oven for 25 minutes.  Don’t worry if the mozzarella oozes out. 

When they come out of the oven use a knife to tuck in the mozzarella. 

Slice some tomatoes and lay them on a platter.  You can also add greens to this.  Dress them simply with salt, pepper and olive oil.  

Always use a good olive oil.  This one comes from California and brought to me as a gift.  Grateful fro friends that share.  Thanks Rolla!!

Sit the boats atop of your salad.  Drizzle with more olive oil.