Do foods that share visual similarities go well together? Hmmm. I don’t really know if that’s the case, but when I ponder on new flavour combos, I often visualize the ingredients and imagine what they’d look and taste like together. Not that eggplant and cherries look much alike 😄 But they both boast that plump, smooth, glossy skin that sets them apart from other foods. And the duo turned out amazingly well indeed! Here, I paired fried eggplant with marinated cherries and threw in a few other ingredients to tie it all together. The outcome? A fresh, vibrant and incredibly delicious dish that just screams summer!
The Flavour Affair:
Eggplant + Cherries + Lemon + Cinnamon + Herbs + Tomatoes + Burrata
At the core of this salad is an unexpected combination that works. Sweet and slightly tangy from marinating, cherries add quite a contrast to creamy, smoky and savory eggplant. Cinnamon and lemon go very well with both, thereby creating a ‘bridge’ that connects the opposing flavours.
Eggplant: thinly sliced and fried in oil until deep golden, eggplants loses its bitterness and develops an earthy flavour with a hint of nuttiness.
Cherries: I like using dark, big and juicy cherries here. Allow them to sit in a light marinate of lemon juice, a pinch of brown sugar and cinnamon for about 30 minutes to just pickle. If you have pomegranate molasses, you can add a little for more sweet & sour complexity.
Herbs: a combination of fresh basil and mint is great here.
Tomatoes: small sweet cherry tomatoes complement the two main ingredients and add a little more substance to the salad.
Fresh torn burrata comes in with sweet creaminess and instantly elevates the plate. If you are not a fan, leave it out or try with feta instead. With a completely different flavour profile, salty briny feta will turn this into a whole new dish but the flavours will work!
Feel free to sprinkle over some roasted almonds. They are amazing with both eggplant and cherries and create a perfect crunchy finish.
Lasty, add some freshly ground black pepper for a hint of pungency.
Preparation tips for Fried Eggplant with Marinated Cherries:
- Slice the eggplant, sprinkle with salt and place in a colander to sweat for 15-20 minutes. This will help it lose its bitterness. And you can start on the cherries in the meantime!
- Half and pit them. Whisk together lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon and pour over the cherries. They don’t need to be submerged, just generously coated. Leave for about 30 minutes and mix a few times in between.
- After 15-20 minutes in the colander, rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Try not to leave any excess water to minimize oil splatters.
- Fry eggplant slices over medium heat so that they don’t burn. Arrange them in a single layer and turn a few times during frying.
- Once cooked, transfer the eggplant to a paper towel to get rid of excess oil and cool down.
- By now, the cherries are ready so all there’s left is to do a bit of chopping and assemble!
Serving suggestions:
This dish makes an amazing light lunch or starter. It also works great as a side to braised veal or roasted pork. You can also grill a few slices of sourdough bread and top them with the salad to enjoy it in bruschetta-style!
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Fried Eggplant with Marinated Cherries and Burrata
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 medium eggplants sliced into thin circles
- 200 g dark cherries halved and pitted
- 200 g sweet cherry tomatoes halved
- 150-200 g burrata torn
- 1 tbsp each chopped mint and basil
- 1 tbsp roasted almonds
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil for frying
- Salt to taste
For cherry marinade:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses optional
Instructions
- Whisk the marinade ingredients together, add the cherries and leave at room temperature for 30-40 mins.
- Place sliced eggplant into a colander and season with salt. Leave for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
- Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry the eggplant in batches for 5-10 minutes on both sides until browned.
- Transfer to a paper towel to drain excess oil and cool down.
- In a large bowl, gently mix eggplant slices with the cherries, their marinade and most of the herbs.
- Transfer to a serving plate, top with torn burrata, the remaining herbs and roasted almonds.
- Finish off with a couple of grinds of black pepper & rock salt mills.
Notes
- You can prepare fried eggplant and marinated cherries a day in advance.
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