My dreams stay with me for very long periods of time. I feel like this is a blessing because so many people forget their dreams instantly. I have dreamt of my deceased grandmothers; I knew I was having a baby boy without a doubt because of my dreams; I dream of people I haven't seen in ages and then that day I see them; I dream multi-chaptered dreams of my friends and family. And I remember so much. Plot lines. Character development. Dialogue. Costumes. Sets. The twists and turns. So many details. It's a bit trippy. But I accept this as my sleep reality: Little sleep and a whole lot to think about.
Last night, I dreamt of this: Eggplant on a bed of arugula, topped with goat cheese, a plum tomato salad and a drizzle of balsamic. The colors, the plating, the taste - all there in my dream. Vividly. I woke up wanting to eat this immediately. Of course, I needed to make this happen ASAP.
My dreams always mean something. I think. Probably not. Although, I have read that people who remember their dreams more than three times per week are considered out-of-the-ordinary genius masterminds as opposed to common folk who actually sleep a solid eight hours, feel well-rested and remember nada.
So clearly I am a major rock star omniscient smarty pants.
I tell this to myself daily as I walk into rooms with a purpose, the task at hand slipping from my mind in a blink of an eye. Why am I here? I'm so existential. Or when I leave the grocery store only to immediately create a new list of items because I forgot this or that. Or when I run back to the house halfway down the street to double check that I locked the door or to grab my phone mocking me from the kitchen island. But, but, but.... I'm a dream erudite. Who cares if I'm a total moron in real life.
So, Summer Eggplant Salad. That's what I'm calling this dish. It is a wonderful salad fit for a dinner party or a fancy shindig or just you and The Husband on a Monday. Cause that's how we do. You can prepare the tomato salad and grill the eggplant ahead of time. And then plate it right before serving. I love how this dish highlights so many Jersey Fresh goodies at this time of year: Eggplant, tomatoes, basil and parsley. The goat cheese and balsamic are some decadence thrown in for good measure.
Summer Eggplant Salad
Serves 8
Eggplant layer:
1 medium-large eggplant, cut into 8 to 10 half-inch thick slices
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat.
Brush each side of eggplant slices with olive oil. Season each side with salt and pepper to taste. Grill each side of eggplant for 6 to 10 minutes per side until nicely marked. Set aside.
Tomato salad:
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Gently mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
To assemble salad:
8 grilled eggplant slices
Tomato salad
4 cups baby arugula
8 Tbsp. fresh goat cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar
On eight salad plates, place 1/2 cup of baby arugula. Season with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
On top of arugula, place a slice of eggplant.
On top of each eggplant slice, place one Tbsp. of goat cheese.
Spoon 1/4 cup of tomato salad onto the goat cheese. Lightly drizzle 1/2 tsp. of balsamic vinegar onto each finished plate.
Serve and enjoy!
