Grilled Eggplant Recipe

There are a number of people who are not really fond of eggplant, but when there are fresh eggplants in your garden, would you not want to savor your garden harvest and have some fresh grilled eggplant? For vegetarians, eggplant can become an excellent summer grilling recipe.

Recipe for Grilled Eggplant
This is a wonderful recipe, which uses balsamic vinegar, herbs and olive oil for grilling eggplant. Let's see the ingredients required and the method to prepare it.

Ingredients

• Eggplant (large), 1
• Olive Oil, 3 tablespoons
• Balsamic Vinegar, 2 tablespoons
• Garlic (finely minced), 2 cloves
• Thyme, 1 pinch
• Basil, 1 pinch
• Dill, 1 pinch
• Oregano, 1 pinch
• Salt and Pepper, as per taste

Method

• Heat the grill. While the grill is heating, slice the eggplant about ½ inch thick.
• In a small bowl, take olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and whisk them.
• Brush the slices of eggplant on both the sides with the oil and herb mixture.
• Now place the eggplant on the heated grill and grill for about 15 to 20 minutes. Remember not to turn the eggplant more than once. If you turn it more than once, eggplant will become hard and may not taste good.

Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant
This is a different recipe for grilling an eggplant. With this recipe you will be able to serve two people.

Ingredients

• Eggplant, 1
• Honey, 1 tablespoon
• Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons
• Garlic cloves (mashed), 2
• Paprika/Chili, 1 teaspoon
• Balsamic Vinegar, 2 teaspoons
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method

• Peel stripes of skin off the eggplant, so that you create a zebra-like pattern of skin and no skin. Not only does this look decorative, but the slice is easier to bite into as well. Then slice the eggplant into ½ inch thick rings.
• Sprinkle salt on both the sides of the slices and place them on a large sheet of paper towels. With the salt, the eggplant will leave water and the will become more succulent and less watery after it is cooked.
• Let the slices sit for 15 minutes. Then dry both the sides well with paper towels.
• While the slices are drying, mix honey, olive oil, garlic, chili, vinegar, and pepper. If required you can also add salt to it. Then dunk the eggplant slices into it and soak both the sides.
• Heat the grill. Brush oil on the grill and place the eggplant slices on the grill.
• Cover the eggplant and let them grill on medium heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Change the sides and brush the marinade on the other side, then let it grill again for 3 to 4 minutes. When the slices are brown remove them from heat.
• Drizzle with olive oil and your eggplant is ready to be eaten.

Italian Grilled Eggplant Cakes
Now let's see how can we makes cakes with the eggplant.

Ingredients

• Eggplant, 2 pounds
• Unseasoned Bread Crumbs (lightly toasted), ⅓ cup
• Fresh Parsley (chopped), 3 tablespoons
• Garlic Cloves (minced)
• Egg, 1
• Parmesan Cheese (grated), 3 tablespoons
• Canola Oil, ½ tablespoon
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• Flour, 2 tablespoons

Method

• Heat the grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Wash, but do not trim, the eggplant and brush with canola oil. After oiling the eggplant place it on the grill.
• Let the eggplant cook, till it becomes tender and a toothpick pierces the skin easily. It will take approximately 40 minutes to cook.
• Set the eggplant to cool. Once it cools, peel the skin, cut the eggplant and leave it aside, so that the juices will drain out.
• Now chop the eggplant fine and combine it with bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, egg, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well, till all of it is uniformly mixed.
• Then shape the mixture into little cakes and lay the cakes on to a large plate.
• Bake the cake in preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown. These cakes can be served hot or cold.

With these grilled eggplant recipes, you can have delicious no fuss appetizers. Eggplants are perfect BBQ menu. I am sure even those who do not like eggplant will savor it, if made with the recipes mentioned above.