Cease Grilling Eggplant Incorrect—Here is Methods to Make It Wonderful

I’ve grilled extra batches of assorted greens than I can rely: candy corn by the dozen, blistered shishitos by the bowlful, and plenty of gardens’ price of zucchini. However for years, eggplant was the one which received away. Each summer season, I might attempt once more, solely to be met with disappointment: slices that have been spongy, leathery, or tragically greasy. That every one modified once I accepted the truth that eggplant does not play by the identical guidelines as zucchini or bell peppers: It’s important to deal with it with somewhat extra care to get creamy, silky, tender slices off the grill.

The Proper Eggplant Minimize for Grilling

As I clarify in my information to grilling eggplant, all of it begins with the right lower. Slice your eggplant into clear, half-inch rounds—not wedges, not slabs, not wispy skinny sheets. At this half-inch thickness, the slices are sturdy sufficient to carry their form on the grill and simply skinny sufficient to grow to be absolutely tender inside. 

Correct Oiling Is Key for the Greatest Grilled Eggplant

Subsequent comes a strategic method to oiling. You want simply sufficient oil to forestall sticking, however not a lot that the eggplant turns greasy. Since eggplant soaks up oil like a sponge, it is easy to go overboard earlier than it hits the grill and find yourself with slick, soggy slices. The answer is to brush the rounds evenly with oil earlier than they hit the grates. A skinny layer is all you might want to stop the eggplant from drying out or sticking to the grill. After grilling, when the eggplant is smoky and tender, I brush it once more, however this time extra generously. That second coating of oil soaks in superbly and provides depth with out greasiness.

For this recipe, my chef’s-kiss transfer for reinforcing taste is infusing the oil with fragrant garlic and purple pepper flakes. The infused oil comes collectively within the microwave in simply two minutes, delivering daring taste with minimal effort.

A Easy Sauce to Pull It All Collectively

However the actual taste clincher is the easy sauce. Whereas the eggplant’s on the grill, I stir collectively a fast yogurt dressing with lemon, herbs, and a drizzle of the identical garlicky chile oil used to brush the eggplant earlier than and after cooking. It is brilliant, cooling, and the right foil for the richness of the eggplant. As an alternative of discarding the strained crispy garlic and chile bits left behind from the infused oil, sprinkle them excessive for a savory, golden crunch.

This combo of charred eggplant brushed with aromatic oil and dragged by a creamy, tangy yogurt dip tastes much more difficult than it’s to prep. However when you be taught the fundamental method (slice, oil, salt, grill, oil once more, sauce), you will notice grilled eggplant is not the enemy. It is a summer season vegetable delight ready for its second within the highlight.

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