Grilled Baby Eggplant Food

GRILLED BABY EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Slice off the green tops and cut the eggplants in half. Score in a criss-cross pattern using a knife. Salt and leave the eggplants for one hour. Pat dry.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Sprinkle the eggplant with garlic and breadcrumbs. Place the eggplants in an oiled baking tin. Trickle on the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bake the eggplants for 20 to 30 minutes or until they are soft and golden. Sprinkle with basil and serve at room temperature.

GRILLED BALSAMIC EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Add the marinade ingredients into a bag tossing to combine. Add the 4 quarters of the eggplant and marinade for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Preheat grill to high. Place the wedges on the grates reserving the marinade.Grill on hot oiled grates lowering heat to medium.
• Brown on all three sides. Marking each side. Will be ready when easy to remove from grate. For more tender move to indirect heat and grill till desired. About 10 minutes.
• Pour the reserved marinade over the hot eggplant.

GRILLED LEMONS, BABY ARTICHOKES, AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cook baby artichokes in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender when bottom is pierced with sharp knife, about 8 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Cut artichokes in half through stem; pat dry. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Prepare Barbecue ( medium heat). Brush cooked artichokes, Japanese eggplant, and cut side of lemons with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side. Grill lemons, cut side down, until charred, about 2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to platter. Garnish with grilled lemons for squeezing over.

GRILLED EGGPLANT SANDWICH

Steps:

• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl, combine garlic with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush garlic oil on cut sides of bread and grill until lightly toasted on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Top bottom half with cheese.
• Brush eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and lightly charred, 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once. Layer eggplant on cheese. Brush tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once. Layer tomatoes on eggplant, top with basil, and sandwich with top half of bread. Cut crosswise into 4 pieces and serve.

GRILLED BABY EGGPLANTS WITH FRESH RICOTTA AND FARM STAND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the eggplant or for up to 2 hours.
• Combine the ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the eggplant or for up to 2 hours.
• Heat a grill to high or a grill pan over high heat.
• Brush the eggplant on both sides with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant, cut-side down, until golden brown and caramelized, about 4 minutes. Flip the eggplant and grill until the bottom is golden brown and the eggplant is tender, about 3 minutes more.
• Transfer the eggplant to a platter, cut-side up, and top each half with a large dollop of the ricotta. Spoon the tomatoes over the top and serve.

GRILLED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt on both sides. Place in a colander set over a bowl; let stand 1 hour to drain. Discard liquid; rinse eggplant slices under cold running water. Place on several layers of paper towels, and press out water.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Generously brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil; sprinkle with pepper. Place on grill, and cook until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip eggplant slices, and cook until browned on bottom. Serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

GRILLED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant, and then cut into 3/4-inch slices.
• Combine butter, garlic salt, and Italian seasonings; stir well.
• Brush eggplant slices with butter mixture, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place eggplant on grill; grill over medium heat 10 minutes or until tender, turning and basting occasionally.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant in pieces a half an inch thick. If using the large purple variety, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for one hour. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, make the red pepper sauce. Soften the onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic, tomatoes, peppers, garlic and herb bouquet. Add 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook slowly for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers are soft. Remove the herb bouquet and puree the peppers in a food processor until smooth. Cool to room temperature and correct seasoning.
• Preheat coals. Brush the eggplant slices with remaining olive oil and grill until charred. Arrange on a long serving dish in one or two rows, season with pepper to taste and pour the sauce along the middle of the slices. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

GRILLED MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Finely chop the parsley with the capers and garlic. Add the oregano and peperoncini and chop everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl, stir in the oil, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.
• Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill or a grill pan until smoking hot.
• Put enough eggplant slices on the grill to cover it without crowding. Cook the eggplant until well marked, 3 to 6 minutes, then turn the slices over. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove the eggplant from the grill.
• Pour the vinegar into a shallow bowl. While still hot, dip each eggplant slice into the vinegar and set it aside on a plate. Continue grilling and dipping the eggplant until all the slices are cooked and seasoned.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of the parsley mixture onto a platter and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Arrange half of the grilled eggplant on the parsley in a single layer. Smear each slice of eggplant with more parsley. Place a second layer of eggplant on top and spread the remaining parsley on it. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 2 hours (or refrigerate for longer). Serve at room temperature.
• Chef's notes:
• You could make the parsley mixture in a food processor, but I don't. I find hand chopping gives me the somewhat drier texture I prefer.
• For this recipe, I don't salt or oil the eggplant; I grill it dry. This way, it has a nice chewy texture. I marinate the eggplant as soon as it comes off the grill so the flavor of the marinade penetrates.