Ingredients
1 small eggplant, cut into paper-thin (¹∕16-inch) slices using a hand-held mandolin or very sharp knife
Extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¹∕8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
¾ cup (about 12) thinly sliced grape tomatoes
¹∕³ cup packed (about 18) Kalamata olives, pitted, very finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 sheet puff pastry, at room temperature for 20 minutes
1 tsp tomato paste
Fresh basil leaves, torn, for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; coat with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the eggplant slices into a large bowl. Coat with ¼ cup olive oil. Sprinkle on salt, pepper, and oregano. Add the tomatoes. Use both hands to toss and coat the slices well. Set aside.
Place the olives, garlic, and 1 tablespoon olive oil into a small bowl. Mix well.
Place the sheet of puff pastry on the prepared baking sheet; open pastry sheet but don’t roll it out. Spread an even layer of the olive mixture over the pastry, leaving just a small border on all sides.
Cover the olive mixture with columns of overlapping slices of the eggplant. Scatter the tomatoes over the eggplant.
In a small bowl, combine tomato paste and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Using a pastry brush, gently dab this all over the tart and on the edges of the pastry. Cover the edges with strips of foil to prevent burning.
Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes; don’t open the oven door during baking.
Remove from oven. Toss some torn basil leaves over the top; drizzle with olive oil.
* * * * *
Steak Salad With Sumac Red Onions
Yields 6-8 servings
Sumac bushes, which grow in the Middle East, produce deep reddish/purplish berries. The berries are ground to make a spice that adds a tart lemony flavor to recipes. Sumac is a great way to add an acidic balance with a gorgeous pop of color to a dish. Dust it on chicken, chummus, in olive oil, any dish that uses feta … the list goes on and on. You will see it again in this book in the Meze Burger recipe. Sumac is often an ingredient in the popular za’atar spice blend.
Salad
1 red onion, peeled, halved, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 tsp sumac
1½ pounds minute steak fillet, filet split, skirt steak, or London broil
1 tsp fish-free Worcestershire sauce
7 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Salt
Pepper
5 ounces spring mix or baby greens
10 cherry tomatoes, mix of yellow and red, each halved
Dressing
2 tbsp pomegranate syrup or pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp Country Dijon mustard
¼ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the onion slices into a medium bowl. Toss with the sumac to coat all the slices. Set aside.
Place the steak into a glass container or baking dish just large enough to hold it. Massage in the Worcestershire sauce and 3 tablespoons olive oil to coat both sides.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper. Add onion to the pan; cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Push onions to the side; add the steak, searing 3-6 minutes per side or until medium rare. Thicker London broil will take much longer and the onions may need to be removed from the pan if they start to burn. Transfer steak to a cutting board; allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.