Grilled Bread With Eggplant Basil Recipes

GRILLED EGGPLANT BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Place the eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt and let stand 30 minutes. (This removes the excess water from the eggplant.) Rinse the eggplant and arrange in a single layer on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat (see Cook's Note).
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Brush the eggplant and bread slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and pepper.
• Line a small rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Toss the grape tomatoes, vinegar, honey and the remaining tablespoon olive oil on the foil. Bake the tomatoes until they burst, about 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grill the eggplant until browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Grill the bread until toasted and grill marks appear, 1 minute on each side. Rub the cut sides of the garlic on the bread. Set aside.
• Transfer the tomatoes to a medium bowl. Coarsely chop the eggplant and add to the tomatoes. Add the chopped basil, then season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the ricotta onto the grilled bread. Top with the eggplant mixture and garnish with additional basil. Cut the bread in half, if desired.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH MOZZARELLA, TOMATOES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Prepare a barbecue (or preheat a broiler). Cut the eggplants into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Spread on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil on both sides. Set aside.
• Cut mozzarella in half crosswise, then slice each half about 1/4-inch thick to create half-moon shaped pieces. Slice tomatoes in the same manner. Arrange tomatoes and mozzarella decoratively around the edge of a large serving platter.
• Place eggplant slices on barbecue (or place on baking sheet in broiler) and cook, turning once, until nicely charred on each side; the eggplant should almost caramelize. Arrange the cooked eggplant down the center of the serving platter, surrounded by the tomatoes and mozzarella. Pluck about 12 large leaves from the basil bunch, stack them, roll them up like a cigar, then slice crosswise into thin shreds (?chiffonade?). Scatter the basil shreds over the vegetables and cheese, then drizzle balsamic vinegar and more olive oil over all. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and let stand until eggplant is at room temperature.

GRILLED BREAD WITH EGGPLANT & BASIL

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, marjoram, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
• Add eggplant to skillet and cook, tossing occasionally, until just starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until eggplant is very soft, 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly; mix in lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.
• Meanwhile, prepare grill for medium-high heat. Brush both sides of bread with remaining 4 tablespoons oil and grill until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.
• Spoon eggplant mixture on toast and top with basil and Parmesan; cut toast in half.
• Do ahead: Eggplant can be cooked 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

GRILLED EGGPLANT SANDWICH

Steps:

• Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grill. In a small bowl, combine garlic with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush garlic oil on cut sides of bread and grill until lightly toasted on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Top bottom half with cheese.
• Brush eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and lightly charred, 12 to 15 minutes, flipping once. Layer eggplant on cheese. Brush tomatoes with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping once. Layer tomatoes on eggplant, top with basil, and sandwich with top half of bread. Cut crosswise into 4 pieces and serve.

ITALIAN GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH BASIL AND PARSLEY (MELANZANE GRIGLIATE AL BASILICO E PREZZEMOLO)

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.

GRILLED EGGPLANT AND BAGUETTE WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR & FETA

Steps:

• Sprinkle eggplant slices with 2 t salt, place in colander and let stand 30 minutes. Wipe off salt and moisture with paper towels.
• Mix olive oil, thyme, 2 t salt and 1/2 t pepper in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 T oil mixture.
• Place vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced by half, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in reserved 1 T oil mixture & let cool.
• Preheat grill to medium; brush grill with vegetable oil.
• Brush eggplant slices generously with oil mixture, leaving enough to grill the bread. Grill eggplant, covered, until slightly charred and tender, about 4 minutes per side.
• Increase grill temperature to high. Brush baguette with remaining oil mixture and grill until toasted, about 3 minutes. Cut baguette into pieces in various sizes.
• Place eggplant, baguette, and feta on a large platter. Drizzle eggplant with feta, then sprinkle torn basil over top. Serve with remaining vinegar mixture.

GRILLED EGGPLANT PANINI WITH BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• For aioli, place the first 8 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. , Brush vegetables with oil. Place in broiling pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat, or grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes per side. Chop the peppers when cool enough to handle. , Spread cut sides of each roll with 2 tablespoons aioli; top each with cheese. Layer bottoms with eggplant and peppers. Replace tops., In a panini press, grill sandwiches until cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes. Serve remaining aioli with sandwiches or save for another use.

EGGPLANT AND SMOKED-GOUDA OPEN-FACED GRILLED SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see Grilling Procedureepi:recipelink.
• While grill is heating, stir together tomatoes, parsley, 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
• With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave half of cheese into thin slices (if using mozzarella, thinly slice half of it with a knife) and cover slices with plastic wrap, reserving remaining piece for another use.
• Brush bread on both sides with 1 tablespoon oil per slice.
• Trim off top and bottom of each eggplant, then cut 2 (1-inch-thick) slices lengthwise from center of each eggplant, discarding remainder. Brush cut sides with 3 tablespoons oil (total) and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Lightly oil grill rack, then grill eggplant slices (covered only if using a gas grill), loosening with a metal spatula and turning occasionally to avoid overbrowning, until very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. While eggplant is grilling, grill bread, turning over once, until grill marks form, 1 to 2 minutes total, and transfer to a large platter.
• Transfer eggplant to platter, then top evenly with sliced cheese and return to grill and cook, covered for charcoal or gas, without turning, until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute. Transfer eggplant with spatula to platter.
• Transfer grilled bread to 4 plates and spoon tomato mixture on top. Drizzle evenly with remaining tablespoon oil and top with eggplant. Season with pepper to taste.

GRILLED EGGPLANT BURGERS

Steps:

• Whisk all seasoning oil ingredients in a small bowl.
• Brush eggplant slices with seasoning oil and place over medium-high heat on grill. Close lid and cook until tender, turning and brushing with remaining seasoning oil, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill. (You may also cook eggplant under the broiler, or saute them in a pan until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes per side.).
• Place a slice of cheese on 1 eggplant slice, then top with another eggplant slice. Top this with 2 tomato slices or a piece of roasted red pepper, then put 2 to 4 basil leaves on top of that. Top with third eggplant slice, then another slice of cheese. Top with a fourth eggplant slice. Finish with a grind of pepper.
• Repeat process to make 4 stacks. Place stacks on grill, close lid, and cook for about 2 minutes, turning once.
• Serve immediately, or make into sandwiches on crusty rolls or bread. These sandwiches may be served warm or wrapped tightly and chilled several hours or overnight.
• (I had mine open faced on ciabatta bread).