I don’t understand eggplant. The few times I tried eggplant recipes, when I began the vegan experiment, ended up being complete fails, but I was determined to find a way to make an eggplant appealing. Good news, grilling is the way! Bad news, it’s a sodium nightmare. Still thought I’d share. I paired the grilled eggplant with chilli grilled sweet potatoes and arugula.
The eggplant recipe is insanely easy. It’s actually easier than boiling water:
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. salt, plus more for sprinkling
- 3 medium eggplants
- About 1/3 cup olive oil
Preparation:
- In a large bowl dissolve 2 Tbsp. salt in 1 cup warm water. Add 3 quarts cold water. Set aside.
- Trim eggplant and cut into ¾-inch thick diagonal slices. Put slices in salt water, weigh down with an upside-down plate, and let sit 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat (you can hold your hand about an inch above the grill for 3 to 4 seconds).
- Drain eggplant and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Lay on a large baking sheet or tray. Brush one side with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Lay oiled-side-down on the grill. Close lid if using a gas grill and cook until grill marks appear, about 5 minutes.
- Brush top sides with oil and sprinkle with salt. Turn slices over, close lid on a gas grill and cook until grill marks appear on the other side and eggplant is very tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.
This was delicious! I ended up using about half the salt and it was still great. Try to make sure your eggplant slices aren’t too thick, it’ll make a huge difference. Again, wish it wasn’t so salt-centric, but a great recipe to try before the end of summer!
