This eye-catching salad combines vibrant, sweet pieces of red bell pepper with juicy cubes of eggplant. Tahini, lemon and liquid smoke make up the intensely flavored dressing, offering the deep flavor tones of a barbecue without any of the hassle.
This recipe features in Jewish Food Hero’s latest community cookbook, Feeding Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves. The Smoky Eggplant Salad with Herbs, Tahini and Pomegranate recipe was created and shared by personal chef, Bailey Cohen, to honor the Talmudic story of Rachel.
A salad dish with a connection to the Talmud
Feeding Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves produces true food for thought by retelling the stories of 69 women in the Talmud and honoring them with vegan / plant-based recipes. Each recipe is accompanied by a stunning photograph. Meditations on stories of women in the Talmud draw new meaning from the text.
This community cookbook is the co-creation of Jewish women from around the world. 60 Rabbis, Rabbinical students, Jewish teachers, and emerging thought leaders contributed to the Talmudic narratives. 60 female professional chefs and passionate homecooks contributed to the recipes. The addition of this female-focused point of view to these women’s Talmudic stories—originally recorded and edited by men—is a bright and encouraging testament to a modern generation of women engaging in Jewish learning.
Rachel, the wife of Rabbi Akiva
The Smoky Eggplant Salad with Herbs, Tahini and Pomegranate recipe was created to honor Rachel, the wife of Rabbi Akiva. In the book, Feeding Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves, each chapter is devoted to a female character in the Talmud. The story of Rachel the wife of Rabbi Akiva was written by Leah Hartman.
All about Bailey Cohen
Bailey Cohen is a health supportive personal chef in the Washington DC area. She trained at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York and currently offers a wide range of customizable services such as meal prep, health coaching, event catering, menu development and more. She is passionate about plant-based cuisine and enjoys integrating many whole plant foods into dishes, to help cope with illness and recent diagnoses as well.
How does Baily describe her Smoky Eggplant Salad with Herbs, Tahini and Pomegranate?
“This recipe perfectly fits Rachel’s story, as it takes a simple vegetable and elevates it by pairing with tahini and pomegranate. Similarly, Rachel chose her “simpleton” husband and was ultimately rewarded , elevating their lives together.
This smoky eggplant salad has been a staple recipe of mine for years. It has converted many from eggplant dislikers to eggplant lovers, and the flavors pair well with many Mediterranean dishes.
The protein and healthy fats in the creamy tahini pair beautifully with the vibrant, fresh pomegranate seeds.”
Bailey’s Smoky Eggplant Salad with Herbs, Tahini and Pomegranate Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp tahini
4 garlic cloves, minced
¼ red bell pepper, minced
Juice from 1 lemon
½ cup pomegranate seeds (about half an average pomegranate)
2 tsp fresh basil
2 tsp fresh parsley
2 tsp fresh chives
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp liquid smoke
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Slice the eggplant into small cubes and set aside.
Mince the garlic and bell pepper while heating up the olive oil in a pan.
Add the garlic and bell pepper to the hot oil, and saute on medium heat.
When they become fragrant, add the eggplant, salt, pepper, paprika and cook for about 5-7 minutes until soft.
Add the liquid smoke, lemon juice, tahini, basil, parsley and chives. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the eggplant is fork tender.
Top with pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs.
Keywords: pomegranate, eggplant, salad, liquid smoke
More about Feeding Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves
Jewish Food Hero’s Kenden Alfond shared her experience of making this community cookbook during the isolating period of Covid-19:
Read about the book project, featured on Aish.com:
Watch an author intro video from Turner Publishers:
Ready to order? Click here:
