Grilled Eggplant With Red Pepper Sauce Food

GRILLED EGGPLANT, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Prepare a bed of hot coals in a charcoal grill, or heat a stovetop grill to medium-high. Arrange eggplants, onions and peppers on a baking sheet. Paint vegetables lightly on both sides with olive oil.
• Working in batches, grill all vegetables on both sides until softened and lightly charred, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. When all vegetables are cooked, chop them into rough chunks and place in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Add capers and toss again.
• Transfer mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with oregano and crushed red pepper. Serve at room temperature.

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER TERRINE

Steps:

• Blacken and peel the red peppers: Arrange the red peppers on a broiling pan and place them under a hot broiler so that their upper surfaces are about 1/2 inch from the heat. Broil for 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until the peppers are blistered and black on all sides. (You can alternatively blacken the peppers directly over the open flame of a gas cook-top, holding them and turning them with tongs.) Place them in a bowl and cover the bowl with a plate. Let the peppers steam in their own residual heat inside the bowl for 10 minutes. Then peel them (the skin will slide off) and remove the seeds. Note that Trader Joe's makes an excellent bottled cooked red pepper that can be used as a shortcut to the above step.
• Grill the eggplants: Heat a grill or grill pan until very hot. Cut the eggplants into 1/2-inch slices and lay out flat on a large flat surface such as a baking pan. Brush the slices on both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Cook the eggplant slices on the grill, covered, for 4 minutes on each side, until they are nicely browned and softened. If your grill does not have a lid, make a tent-like lid of aluminum foil and place it over the eggplant as it cooks.
• Blanch the parsley: While the eggplant is grilling, soften the parsley by blanching it in boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove, cool under cold water, drain.
• Build the terrine: Line a terrine mold (loaf pan) with plastic wrap. Arrange a layer of eggplant in the bottom of the mold and top it with about a third each of the red pepper pieces, parsley, and cheese. Repeat, beginning and ending with a layer of eggplant, until all the ingredients are used. Cover with plastic wrap and press down on the wrap to compact the mixture. Refrigerate. At this point you can make the terrine in advance and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
• Prepare the sauce: Place the garlic and tomatoes in a blender and blend until smooth. Push the mixture through a food mill (fitted with a fine screen) over a bowl. Add the remainder of the sauce ingredients. Mix well.
• Serve: To serve, pour some of the sauce on a large platter and un-mold the terrine in the center. Cut it into slices and serve with the remainder of the sauce. Adapted from Jacques Pepin's Today's Gourmet II: Light and Healthy Cooking for the '90s .

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.

SUMMER PASTA WITH GRILLED EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for high heat.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the lemon juice to the boiling water and cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and return it to the pot; set aside.
• Pierce the eggplant a few times with a fork or knife. Place on the grill, cover and cook, turning every 8 to 10 minutes, until completely charred all over and the flesh is soft when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly for 10 minutes.
• While the eggplant cooks, prepare 2 sheets of foil, each 12-by-12-inches, and stack them together. Place the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in the center of the foil. Fold over 2 opposite sides of the foil then fold in the remaining sides to create a tight seal. When 15 minutes of cooking time remain for the eggplant, add the foil pack to the grill and cook until juices start to bubble out of the top (this means the tomatoes and garlic are sufficiently cooked without having to open the pack), 13 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the eggplant to a cutting board (keeping any juices that accumulated in the bowl) and squeeze gently to crack the skin and expose the flesh. Use a spoon to remove the flesh, transfer to the large bowl and mash lightly with the spoon or a potato masher (you should have about 1 cup of flesh); discard the skin. Stir in the ricotta and Pecorino Romano until smooth then pour into the pot with the pasta and mix until combined. Fold in the contents of the foil pack (including any juices that accumulated), the basil, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper; stir until combined, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out the sauce if needed. Serve with more basil, parsley, Pecorino Romano and crushed red pepper flakes if using.

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, RED BELL PEPPER AND ARUGULA ROLLS

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Whisk together vinegar and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Grill until cooked through, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill; brush with 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Cool.
• Grill bell peppers until blackened on all sides. Wrap in paper bad and let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed peppers. Cut into 1/4-inch strips. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. cover; chill eggplant and bell peppers separately.)
• Place eggplant slices on work surface. Place 4 bell pepper strips on 1 end of each eggplant slice; top with 2 to 4 arugula sprigs, allowing peppers and arugula to extend beyond both sides of eggplant. Sprinkle pine nuts atop arugula. Roll eggplant up. Place seam side down on platter. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover.)

GRILLED EGGPLANT, RED PEPPER, GOAT CHEESE PUMPERNICKEL SANDWICH

Steps:

• Aioli -- Mix the mayonnaise, garlic, parsley and lemon in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until later.
• Eggplant -- Drizzle the eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil 10-12 minutes on the middle shelf until tender. Remove and let cool.
• Sandwich -- Spread the aioli on the bottom slice of the bread and top with the red onion, then the eggplant, tomato, basil, goat cheese, and red peppers. Top with another slice of bread also slathered with the aioli.
• Grill -- Season your grill pan with a little olive oil and just grill the sandwich on each side until golden brown. It only takes a few minutes.
• ENJOY! a nice light, bit healthier sandwich.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH SPICY PEANUT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan heat the sesame oil over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Saute for 1 minute.
• Whisk in the peanut butter, tamari, lime juice, sugar and water, cooking for 2 minutes.
• Add a touch of water-you want the sauce to be the consistency of hot fudge sauce.
• Keep warm over low heat.
• Heat your grill to medium high heat.
• Slice the eggplant 1/2 inch thick.
• Brush both sides with oil and lightly salt.
• Grill for 8-10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.
• Brush lightly with sauce and serve with remaining sauce.