Grilled Eggplant Creamed Feta Food

GRILLED EGGPLANT AND BAGUETTE WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR & FETA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with 2 t salt, place in colander and let stand 30 minutes. Wipe off salt and moisture with paper towels.
• Mix olive oil, thyme, 2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 T oil mixture.
• Place vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in reserved 1 T oil mixture & let cool.
• Preheat grill to medium; brush grill with vegetable oil.
• Brush eggplant slices generously with oil mixture, leaving enough to grill the bread. Grill eggplant, covered, until slightly charred and tender, about 4 minutes per side.
• Increase grill temperature to high. Brush baguette with remaining oil mixture and grill until toasted, about 3 minutes. Cut baguette into pieces in various sizes.
• Place eggplant, baguette, and feta on a large platter. Drizzle eggplant with feta, then sprinkle torn basil over top. Serve with remaining vinegar mixture.

GRILLED EGGPLANT STACKS WITH TOMATO AND FETA

Steps:

• Blend basil with oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in blender until finely chopped. Pour into a paper-towel- or coffee-filter-lined sieve set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes. Gather together sides of towel or filter and press gently on it to extract more oil. (You will have a generous 1/3 cup oil.) Reserve 1 tablespoon basil oil separately for serving. Scrape basil solids into a small bowl and reserve.
• Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see "Grilling Procedure," below.
• While grill heats, cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end. Reserve remaining eggplant for another use. Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 center slices (1/3 inch thick) from each medium tomato, reserving remaining tomato for another use.
• Lightly brush eggplant rounds on both sides with basil oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing eggplant with more basil oil occasionally if it looks dry, until eggplant is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)
• Make stacks:
• On baking pan, arrange 4 largest eggplant rounds side by side and spread each with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of reserved basil solids, then top each with 1 of 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon feta. Make another layer with medium-size eggplant rounds, basil solids, medium tomato rounds, salt, pepper, and feta, then top with remaining eggplant and feta.
• Set baking pan on grill and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and drizzle plates with reserved basil oil.
• Grilling Procedure
• If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows:
• Hot: When you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds
• Medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds
• Low: 5 to 6 seconds
• If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH MARINATED FETA

Steps:

• Slice 2 eggplants 1/2 inch thick; lay on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and let sit 10 minutes, then pat dry. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 grated garlic clove in a saucepan, 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon each chopped oregano and parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Let cool; pour over 4 ounces crumbled feta. Brush the eggplant with olive oil; grill over medium-high heat, 5 minutes per side. Top with the feta.

GRILLED EGGPLANT, CREAMED FETA

Steps:

• Slice each eggplant lengthwise into five or six long steaks. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to stand for up to an hour or so while you make the creamed feta. This salting will ensure the eggplants soak up as little oil as possible.
• Crumble the feta into a bowl and mash it with a fork. Stir in the yogurt, 3 tablespoons of water, and the chopped herbs. Season with black pepper, but not salt unless your feta was extraordinarily mild.
• Rinse the eggplants gently and pat them dry. Brush with olive oil and place on a grill or a hot grill pan, the ridged sort that sits over the burner. When they are tender-a matter of five or six minutes on each side-and appetizingly charred in patches, lift them off the grill and place on a serving dish. Drizzle immediately with olive oil. How much they absorb will depend on the eggplants but make certain they are all thoroughly soaked. Leave them to cool a little, then serve with the creamed feta and flat bread.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC-CUMIN VINAIGRETTE, FETA & HERBS

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette:.
• With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and a pinch of salt to a paste.
• Combine the garlic paste and 1 tbs of the lemon juice in a bowl and let sit for 10 minute.
• Combine the shallot with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt in another small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the olive oil, cumin, and cayenne into the garlic mixture. Season to taste with salt or cayenne, if necessary.
• Grill the eggplant:.
• Prepare a medium-high charcoal or gas grill fire.
• Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt.
• Grill (covered on a gas grill; uncovered on a charcoal grill), 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn the eggplant and grill until tender and well marked on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes more.The interior should be grayish and soft rather than white and hard.
• Top grilled eggplant slices with the shallots, feta, and herbs. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle it on top. Serve immediately.

GRILLED EGGPLANT-FETA STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium. Prepare the chicken: With your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice each chicken breast in half horizontally without cutting all the way through; open like a book. Cover with plastic wrap and pound until 1/2 inch thick.
• Make the filling: Whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, the harissa, cumin and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a bowl. Brush the eggplant with some of the harissa oil. Brush the grill grates with olive oil. Grill the eggplant until tender, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, mix the bulgur, tomato, feta, parsley, mint, lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl; season with salt and pepper.
• Season the pounded chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and brush with half of the remaining harissa oil; top with the eggplant and bulgur mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Roll up the chicken toward the pointy end; tie with 3 pieces of kitchen twine. Brush with the remaining harissa oil.
• Grill the chicken breasts, turning, until cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes, then remove the twine and slice.

EGGPLANT WITH MARINATED FETA

Steps:

• Toss 2 Japanese eggplants (cut into 2-inch pieces) with 1 cup grape tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper. Bake at 500˚ F, turning once, until tender, 12 to 14 minutes, then broil until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix 3 ounces diced feta, 2 tablespoons each olive oil and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped oregano, 1 sliced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve over the eggplant mixture.