Grilled Eggplant with Lemon-Garlic Dressing: A Mediterranean Delight
Relish the smoky, savory flavors of grilled eggplant, elegantly complemented by a zesty lemon-garlic dressing in this delectable Mediterranean dish. This grilled eggplant recipe is a symphony of textures and tastes, featuring tender, melt-in-your-mouth eggplant slices, infused with a hint of smokiness from the grill, drizzled with a tangy, aromatic dressing made from fresh lemon juice, fragrant garlic, and a touch of herbs. This versatile dish can be enjoyed as a main course, a side dish, or even as an appetizer, making it a perfect addition to your vegetarian or vegan meals. With its vibrant colors and irresistible flavors, this grilled eggplant dish is sure to impress your taste buds and become a favorite in your culinary repertoire.
In addition to the classic grilled eggplant with lemon-garlic dressing, this article also includes two exciting variations: a spicy harissa dressing and a creamy tahini dressing. The harissa dressing adds a fiery kick to the dish, with its blend of chili peppers, cumin, and coriander, while the creamy tahini dressing offers a rich, nutty flavor, thanks to the smooth and luscious tahini paste. Whether you prefer a bold and spicy twist or a smooth and creamy touch, these variations cater to diverse taste preferences, ensuring that everyone finds a version they'll love.
WHOLE GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH LEMON AND SOY SAUCE
Provided by Tadashi Ono
Categories Backyard BBQ Dinner Eggplant Grill Grill/Barbecue Party Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free No Sugar Added
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl to make the dressing; set aside. Score the stem end of each eggplant, making a circular cut in the skin (this will make the eggplant easier to peel). Poke a few holes into the eggplants with a skewer or fork to allow steam to escape as they grill.
- Preheat a grill to medium. Grill for about 8 minutes, turning the eggplants a quarter turn every 2 minutes. Try to grill the eggplant all around. Test the eggplants for doneness by pressing against their sides with a pair of tongs. If the eggplants give easily, they're ready. Transfer the eggplants to a plate.
- As soon as the eggplants are cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skin (the skin comes off more easily if the eggplant is warm; don't let it cool completely). Once you've removed the skin, remove the stems, and slice each eggplant into 4 pieces, cutting on an angle. Transfer the eggplant slices to a platter. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with the bonito, and serve.
SUMMER PASTA WITH GRILLED EGGPLANT SAUCE
Even though the exterior of eggplant is a gorgeous deep purple color; the beauty of this vegetable lies on the inside. This recipe takes advantage of the fact that the flesh of grilled eggplant transforms into a luscious creamy sauce that's perfect for dressing up little tubes of rigatoni. To make the most of summer's bounty, cherry tomatoes are grilled alongside the eggplant until bursting with juices, then mixed into this summer vegetable pasta.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 45m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
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 LEMON-GARLIC DRESSING
Make and share this Grilled Eggplant With Lemon-Garlic Dressing recipe from Food.com.
Provided by mer5901
Categories Vegetable
Time 40m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt. Let drain in colander 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.
- Prepare Lemon-Garlic Dressing.
- Brush both sides of eggplant with oil.
- Cover and grill eggplant 4 to 6 inches from medium coals 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until tender.
- Pour dressing over hot eggplant.
- Sprinkle with parsley.
- LEMON-GARLIC DRESSING.
- Cook garlic in oil in 8 inch skillet, stirring frequently, until golden brown; remove from heat.
- Carefully stir in lemon juice.
SPICY GRILLED EGGPLANT
This side goes well with any meat you might also be grilling. Thanks to the Cajun seasoning, the zesty eggplant gets more attention than an ordinary veggie. —Greg Fontenot, The Woodlands, Texas
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Side Dishes
Time 20m
Yield 8 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Brush eggplant slices with oil. Drizzle with lime juice; sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Let stand 5 minutes. , Grill eggplant, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat until tender, 4-5 minutes per side.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 88 calories, Fat 7g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 152mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7g carbohydrate (3g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges
ITALIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL AND PARSLEY (MELANZANE GRIGLIATE AL BASILICO E PREZZEMOLO)
This Italian side dish (aka 'contorno') couldn't be easier! We make this often during the summer, when we have an abundance of basil and parsley growing in our garden. Works well with zucchini, too!
Provided by Kim's Cooking Now
Categories Appetizers and Snacks
Time 20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
- Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil on both sides. Stir together remaining olive oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl.
- Arrange eggplant slices on the preheated grill and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Arrange grilled eggplant on a platter. Brush with the olive oil and garlic mixture until eggplant has absorbed the oil. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and parsley and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 203.8 calories, Carbohydrate 8.4 g, Fat 19 g, Fiber 4.7 g, Protein 1.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 76.3 mg, Sugar 3.2 g
Tips:
- Choose the right eggplant: Look for eggplants that are firm and have smooth, shiny skin. Avoid eggplants that are bruised or have blemishes.
- Slice the eggplant evenly: This will help ensure that the eggplant cooks evenly and doesn't stick to the grill.
- Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil: This will help prevent them from sticking to the grill and will also help them to brown nicely.
- Grill the eggplant slices over medium heat: This will help to prevent them from burning.
- Make sure to flip the eggplant slices halfway through grilling: This will ensure that they cook evenly on both sides.
- Make the lemon-garlic dressing while the eggplant is grilling: This will give the flavors time to meld.
- Drizzle the lemon-garlic dressing over the grilled eggplant slices: This will add a delicious flavor to the eggplant.
- Serve the grilled eggplant with your favorite sides: Some good options include rice, quinoa, or roasted vegetables.
Conclusion:
Grilled eggplant with lemon-garlic dressing is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for summer gatherings. The eggplant is tender and flavorful, and the lemon-garlic dressing is the perfect complement. This dish is sure to be a hit with your friends and family!
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