Eggplant Salad with Red Pepper Relish

Ingredients

For relish:

• 2.8 ounces red bell peppers (~1/2 pepper, diced)
• 2.3 ounces sweet onion (~1/4 sweet onion, minced)
• 4.6 ounces tomato (~1 small tomato, diced)
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoon chia seeds
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For eggplant:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 pound Japanese eggplants (trimmed and quartered lengthwise)
• flakey salt (to taste)
• flat-leaf parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1
   To make the relish, stir together the bell peppers, onions, tomato, vinegar, chia seeds, sugar and salt. Set aside to allow the relish to thicken.3
2. 2
   Prepare a paper-towel lined rack.
3. 3
   Add the olive oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-heat until hot. Add half the eggplant with one cut-side down and fry until golden brown, turn the eggplant so the other cut-side is down and fry until that side is golden brown as well. Transfer to a paper towel lined rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
4. 4
   Once all the eggplant has been fried, pat the eggplant with some paper towels to remove any excess oil and then generously salt the eggplant with your favorite flakey salt (kosher or Maldon work well).
5. 5
   To assemble the salad, place the eggplant on a plate and then top with the red pepper relish. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley.