Grilled Eggplant
I love grilled eggplant because it can be used like a bread or pasta, but without the extra carbs.
I love to wrap it around burrata for Grilled Eggplant and Burrata Involtini, use it in Tamburello di Melanzane, and layer it for No-Noodle Lasagna. Contrary to what many cookbooks will instruct you, I don’t salt and drain my eggplant first. I’ve never found it necessary.
Makes 15 to 18 slices
INGREDIENTS
3 large eggplants
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Light an indoor grill pan on medium-high heat or place a heavy pan over medium-high heat and let it get hot for 5 to 7 minutes.
Cut off the top and bottom of each eggplant so it can stand up. Slice the skin off of the right side and the left side. Now, one pair of the eggplant’s opposing sides will have skin, and the other will not.
Cut the eggplant into vertical strips, ¼ to ½-inch thick, beginning where you have removed the skin, so each piece has a little skin on the sides.
Use a silicone brush to coat the front and back of each slice generously with the olive oil, and then place as many eggplants on the grill as you can without them overlapping.
Cook until the eggplant has beautiful golden grill marks and flip.
Once the eggplant has nice grill marks on the second side and is floppy when you pick a side up with your tongs, it is done. Remove from the grill and continue until you are finished with all the pieces.