Al's charred cauliflower and eggplant salad

Name: Al's charred cauliflower and eggplant salad
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 Eggplants (Main); 1 drizzle Canola oil, for brushing over; ½ large Cauliflower (Main); 1 Red chilli, finely sliced; ½ cup Roasted almonds, roughly chopped (Main); ¾ cup Feta, crumbled; ¾ cup Dates, roughly chopped; ⅓ cup Mint leaves, roughly torn; ⅓ cup Basil leaves, roughly torn; 1 Lemon, use up to 2; ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil, or orange and chilli oil

for 6 people

Al Brown

Al Brown is a chef, TV presenter, writer, fisherman and restaurateur.

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While this salad tastes simply delicious and is a bit of a cinch to put together, it's the textures that make eating it so enjoyable. This recipe is on the menu at Burning Lamb. Read more about the festival here.

Ingredients

2	Eggplants (Main)
1 drizzle	Canola oil, for brushing over
½ large	Cauliflower (Main)
1	Red chilli, finely sliced
½ cup	Roasted almonds, roughly chopped (Main)
¾ cup	Feta, crumbled
¾ cup	Dates, roughly chopped
⅓ cup	Mint leaves, roughly torn
⅓ cup	Basil leaves, roughly torn
1	Lemon, use up to 2
¼ cup	Extra virgin olive oil, or orange and chilli oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 200C. Place a cast-iron skillet or saute pan on the stove and bring to a medium high heat. Cut the eggplants lengthways into 6-8 pieces. Brush with a little canola oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the hot skillet and cook in batches for 2 or 3 minutes on each side until golden. Place in one half of an oven tray. Hold.
Cut the cauliflower into manageable pieces. Brush with a little canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Like the eggplant, place the cauliflower pieces in the hot skillet and cook for a few minutes on each side, until they start to caramelise. Remove from the pan and add to the baking tray.
Place baking tray in the preheated oven. Cook for 5 minutes or so, then remove and cool to room temperature.
Once cool, cut the eggplant strips along with the caramelised cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add the chilli, almonds, feta, dates and mint and basil. Depending on the size of the lemons, finely zest over the rind from one or both, along with the juice from one of them.
To finish, add the orange and chilli oil, or extra virgin olive oil, along with a little flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine, taste, then add more lemon juice if required. Tip or spoon out on to a platter and serve immediately.

Also from the Burning Lamb menu

beetroot and pesto on spiced creamed lentils