Plant-Forward
Spicy Grilled Eggplant & Fresh Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 9 slender (Asian) eggplants or 2 small globe eggplants (about 2 lb / 1 kg total weight)
- Salt 6 tablespoons
- (90 ml) olive oil, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- 2 fresh ripe tomatoes, sliced
Directions
- 1
Prepare the Eggplant If using globe eggplants, cut into ¼-inch thick crosswise slices. Place in a colander, sprinkle generously with salt, and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out moisture. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels. If using slender Asian eggplants, simply slice crosswise into ¼-inch rounds. No salting required.
- 2
Heat the Grill Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high heat.
- 3
Season and Oil Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- 4
Grill the Eggplant Place eggplant slices on the grill. Grill for about 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and lightly charred.
- 5
Make the Dressing While the eggplant grills, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, minced garlic, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and chopped parsley in a small bowl. Stir well.
- 6
Assemble and Serve On a large serving platter, arrange the grilled eggplant and fresh tomato slices alternating and overlapping, so that they’re interspersed in layers. Drizzle the garlic-parsley dressing evenly over the top and between the layers. Sprinkle with extra chopped parsley and additional red pepper flakes if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
