Tag Archives: eggplant

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan from food & wine

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Sicilian Eggplant Parmigiana Beauty A121217 Fast: Southern Italy, Gastronaut: Pizza April 2013

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
4 large plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Salt
1/3 cup chopped green olives
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed Calabrian chiles or other hot chiles
1/4 cup finely shredded basil, plus whole leaves for garnish
6 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
Crusty bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450° and heat a grill pan. Brush the eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Grill the eggplant in batches over moderately high heat, turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Grill the tomatoes, turning once, until lightly charred but still intact, about 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the olives, chiles and shredded basil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In the center, arrange half of the eggplant in a 9-inch square, overlapping the slices slightly. Top with half of the grilled tomatoes, olive mixture and Fontina. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with crusty bread. 4 servings

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dmv note:  My dish is on the left.  Used eggplants and tomatoes from the garden. I grilled the eggplant and tomatoes on the gas grill.  I used 1/2 a mariachi chili from my garden but it didn’t have any heat so I used some jalapeno slices (pickled from a jar in the fridge). I don’t know what Calabrian chiles are. Used a bit more than 1/3 cup of green olives, used less basil and substituted fresh mozzarella for fontina.  Sprinkled some parm on top and drizzled with olive oil and probably baked it for longer that 15 min. It is unusual and delicious.

Miso Quinoa Pilaf with Grilled Cucumber, Eggplant, and Soy Dressing

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miso-quinoa-pilaf-grilled-vegetables_food52_mark_weinberg_14-07-01_0295
For the Pilaf

1 large English cucumber
2 small, long eggplants, about 5 to 6 inches or 1 slender long eggplant of a larger variety)
Olive oil for grilling
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup quinoa
1 cup 2 % milk
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoon white miso (we used barley miso, which is darker)
3tablespoons chopped cilantro

Prepare a medium gas or charcoal grill.

Trim ends off cucumber and eggplants. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise. Cut cucumber crosswise into thirds, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. Place vegetables in a baking pan and drizzle cut sides with olive oil, rubbing oil with your fingertip to cover the vegetables. Set aside until grill is hot.

While you are waiting for your grill to heat up, start your quinoa by melting butter in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to toast the grains. After about 5 minutes, quinoa should start to pop and smell nutty (a few grains will turn golden brown). At this point, add milk and water, and whisk in miso. Cover pot and adjust heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 17 to 20 minutes until grains are tender and liquid has been absorbed. Remove pot from heat.

Grill cucumber and eggplant pieces cut side down until lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes for cucumber and 7 to 8 for eggplant. Flip and grill skin side down for 2 to 3 minutes more. Cucumber skin will start to wrinkle and eggplant flesh should yield easily when poked with a knife. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Slice cucumbers and eggplants crosswise into half moons.

Fluff quinoa and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add sliced cucumber, eggplant, and half of the cilantro. Whisk or shake dressing to re-emulsify and add to taste (note that tamari and miso can both vary widely in saltiness, so dress sparingly at first, then add more as you like). I use about half of the dressing. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold to combine components of pilaf. Taste and add more dressing if desired. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature. Pilaf is also delicious cold, the next day. Enjoy! Serves 4 to 6 as a side

For the Soy Dressing

1/4 cup gluten-free tamari
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1/2 an orange (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup canola oil

Combine tamari and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in orange juice and canola oil. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid. This will make more dressing than you need for this recipe. Use remaining as a dressing for other grilled vegetables or as a marinade for meat.

Grilled Eggplant Sandwich

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  • Dr-Ian-Eggplant-sandwich3004 ciabatta rolls, toasted or grilled
  • 2 large eggplants
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling plus 2 tablespoons
  • 8 slices fresh mozzarella
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 can artichoke hearts, finely chopped
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 5 to 6 basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 3 tablespoons, balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat a large grill pan or an outdoor grill. Slice eggplantlengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick. Liberally drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant slices until tender on one side, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and top with a slice of fresh mozzarella. Tent with foil or put the lid of the grill on to melt. Cook 2-3 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes,artichoke hearts, red onion, basil, 2 tablespoons oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Place slices on toasted roll bottoms. Top with salad and serve.

Eggplant Parm Stacks — LSQ

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Ready in half the time it takes to make traditional eggplant Parmesan, this inventive version is stacked with fresh herbs and melted-cheese goodness. Yields 4 servings

1 eggplant (1 1/4 pounds total), sliced crosswise 1/3-inch thick (12 slices total) Coarse salt
4 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan — I use Romano cheese
Fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1 1/2 cups Basic Italian Tomato Sauce
1 pound fresh mozzarella, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick (12 slices total)
Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle Parmesan for garnish

Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with oven rack in center position.

Brush eggplant slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Grill 8-10 minutes, flipping once, until charred and soft.

hint–put on gas grill, so much easier and less messy!!

In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, pepper, herbs, and remaining tablespoon olive oil.

Place 4 slices grilled eggplant on parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, and slices of mozzarella. Repeat with two more layers. Drizzle with olive oil.  I found that stacks of four layers fell over in the over despite skewers.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a garnish of olive oil and Parmesan cheese.