Roasted Aubergine with Bulgur Salad
The sun is shining through my opened windows, as I write this blog post. The air smells of summer, and I am happy. Quite happy. I’ve settled into my new home and have created a beautiful and cosy working space for myself. It’s not big, but perfect for me. An open kitchen and lots of natural light I can work with by my large windows.
It’s different living on your own and not being surrounded by a bunch of roommates, as I’ve always been in the last years. It’s much easier to focus on work, but a bit less fun at dinnertime. I’ll have to find a different solution; maybe host some dinner events? Having some great conversation over delicious food could be a fun way to get to know people.
Speaking of delicious – let’s talk about this new recipe: Roasted aubergine topped with a Mediterranean bulgur salad. As someone, who used despise aubergine, I eat quite a lot of it these days, preferably roasted, as it brings out the flavours most intensively. I make this salad in my kitchen in many variations all year round. Sometimes I’ll swap bulgur for quinoa or buckwheat, or I’ll top it with pomegranate seeds or raisins. These combinations make a pretty great, light dinner for mild summer nights and dinner gatherings.
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Roasted Aubergine with Bulgur Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 4 persons
Ingredients
4 aubergines (eggplants)
150g bulgur
350ml (1.5 cups) water
150g (cooked) chickpeas
¼ cucumber
1 onion
1 bell pepper
3 handful rocket salad (arugula)
1 bunch parsley
2-3 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt
dried herbs
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the aubergines in half and place them on the baking tray flat side down. Coat the aubergines with a bit of olive oil and, if you like, sprinkle them with dried herbs. Roast the aubergines in the oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping them after 15-20 minutes. The precise roasting time depends on the oven and size of the aubergines. They are done when they have turned a brownish colour and soft inside.
2. Bring water to a boil, add the bulgur and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the bulgur has absorbed the water.
3. Slice the rest of the vegetables into smaller pieces.
4. In a pan, shortly roast the pine nuts on medium heat, until they turn slightly brown and start to smell.
5. In a big bowl mix bulgur, vegetables, olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and herbs.
6. Remove the eggplant from the oven, let it cool briefly, top it with bulgur salad, and serve.
