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Roasted Eggplant Spring Salad with Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette

This Spring salad is a complete show stopper. It’s the perfect salad to serve for guests. The roasted eggplant provides a warm, creamy texture pairing with the fresh greens and crispy radishes. The vinaigrette is surprisingly creamy and slightly sweet. All the elements here really make this salad something else.
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

Creamy Dijon Vinaigrette

    Makes 20 oz.

    • 8 oz. 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 6 oz. 3/4 cup sherry vinaigrette
    • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
    • ⅓ cup creme fraiche
    • ¼ cup whole grain dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoons sea salt

    Salad

      Serves: 6

      • 4 handfuls mixed salad greens of your choice
      • 1 medium eggplant roasted
      • 1 medium english cucumber sliced
      • 1 small handful fresh mint sprigs
      • 1 small handful microgreens
      • 3 small watermelon radishes thinly sliced
      • ½ fennel bulb thinly sliced

      To Taste & Finish:

      • Fennel fronds
      • Pickled vegetables
      • Black sesame seeds
      • Sea salt

      Instructions

      Prepare vinaigrette

      • In a separate bowl, add ingredients. Stir. Keeps for up to 5 days in fridge

      Prepare roasted eggplant

      • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
      • Halve eggplant lengthwise and place inside up on a baking sheet
      • Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with sea salt
      • Place in oven and roast 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned
      • Remove and cool to room temperature
      • Slice in wedges

      Salad assembly:

      • To arrange, place salad greens in large bowl. Layer in eggplant and cucumber. Gently lay microgreens in center area. Add radishes and fennel. Spread the top with sliced cucumber and a small handful of fresh mint springs. Then add wedges of the cooled eggplant.  Lastly, garnish with pickled vegetables and fennel fronds. Sprinkle the top with black sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing to taste. Store extra dressing in fridge for later use. Enjoy & savor the beauty of this vibrant, spring salad.