Grilled Eggplant Salad Recipes

Steps:

• Slice 1 eggplant lengthwise into thirds; toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Grill over medium-high heat until tender, 8 minutes per side; coarsely chop. Toss with 1 chopped tomato, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped basil, and 1 teaspoon each red wine vinegar and chopped oregano. Season with salt and pepper and top with shaved parmesan.

Steps:

• Fried Garlic: Place fine-mesh strainer over heatproof bowl and set aside. Pour oil into a shallow pan, ½-inch deep. Set pan over high heat until oil is lightly bubbling, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Add garlic to the oil and immediately turn heat to low. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring the entire time to prevent garlic from burning.
• When garlic is light golden brown and the bubbling has slowed, turn off heat. Strain the garlic, reserving the flavorful oil in the bowl. Gently shake the strainer to remove as much oil as possible, then drain and cool the garlic on paper towels in an even layer. Garlic will crisp as it cools. Makes about ¼ cup fried garlic and ½ cup garlic oil. Storage: Fried garlic can be stored in a container, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternatively, place into an airtight container with a silica gel packet (available online) to store for several weeks. Garlic oil can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
• Fried Shallots: Place fine-mesh strainer over heatproof bowl and set aside. Pour oil into a shallow pan, ½-inch deep. Set pan over high heat until oil is lightly bubbling, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the shallots by peeling, cutting in half, then thinly slicing with the grain into a julienne. When the oil is bubbling, turn heat to low, add the shallots, and stir. Don't rush the process with high heat: cook, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle sizzle, 5-10 minutes.
• When the oil stops bubbling and the shallots are starting to brown but still look raw, turn off heat. The residual heat will continue cooking the shallots. Continue stirring and flipping the shallots until they are a deep golden brown and crispy, another 1-2 minutes. Strain the shallots, reserving the flavorful oil in the bowl. Cool the shallots on paper towels in an even layer. Shallots will crisp as they cool. Makes about ¼ cup fried shallots and ½ cup shallot oil. Storage: Fried shallots can be stored in a container, uncovered, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Alternatively, place into an airtight container with a silica gel packet (available online) to keep fresh for several weeks. Shallot oil can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
• Eggplants: Preheat charcoal grill according to grill directions to medium heat, about 30 minutes. Once the coals have begun to turn gray but are still flaming, place the eggplants directly on the coals. Cook, turning frequently, until the skin has almost completely blackened and the flesh is very soft, about 4 minutes; the goal is to fully char the skin before the flesh gets mushy. When they're ready, a knife should meet almost no resistance when the eggplant is poked. Alternatively, eggplants can be roasted over the burner of a stove: turn frequently until the skin has blistered and blackened.
• Salad: Julienne the shallot into long strips, thinly slice chiles into rings, and roughly chop boiled egg. Set aside. Meanwhile, remove charred eggplant from the grill or stove. Place in a shallow bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap to steam the eggplants for easier removal of the charred skin, 5-10 minutes.
• Dressing: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add fish sauce, palm sugar simple syrup, lime juice, and sliced chiles. Heat the mixture just until it's warm to the touch, 15 seconds. Peel off and discard the skin of the eggplants. (It's fine to leave bits of charred skin; they will add to the smoky flavor of the dish.) Cut peeled eggplants into 1-inch pieces and place into the warm dressing. Stir gently, then stir in the julienned shallots.
• Assembly: Transfer eggplant mixture to a serving platter. Garnish with dried shrimp, chopped egg, fried garlic, fried shallot, and a few cilantro leaves. Serve.

Steps:

• Halve 2 eggplants lengthwise and rub the cut sides with 1 smashed garlic clove; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill until charred, 8 minutes per side. Let cool, then chop. Whisk 3 tablespoons plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and 1 grated garlic clove; season with salt and pepper. Toss with the eggplant, 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes and 1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs.

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium high. Prick the eggplant all over with a fork, put in on the grill and close the cover; cook, turning occasionally, until eggplant is very soft and skin is blistered, about 15 minutes.
• When cool enough, scoop out the insides of the eggplant and coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and toss with tomatoes, vinegar, salt, oregano and garlic. Stir in oil and parsley; season with pepper and more salt if needed. Garnish with capers if you like them. Serve with warm pita bread.

Steps:

• Cut 2 small eggplants lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks and 2 small red onions into 1-inch wedges. Toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Grill over medium-high heat until charred and tender, turning once, 6 minutes. Toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons each red wine vinegar and olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, some sliced pickled hot cherry peppers, and salt.

Steps:

• Brush the eggplant and red onions with canola oil and arrange on the grill. Cook the eggplant until soft and grill the onions until they have a slight char. Remove from the grill to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Once cool, roughly chop and add them to a serving bowl along with the avocado.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, the Dijon, and oregano. Add honey and olive oil, to taste, and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Add the dressing to the eggplant mixture and toss. Garnish with lemon zest and parsley sprigs and serve.

Steps:

• Set up a grill for cooking with direct and indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Peel the eggplants and slice into 1/2-inch-thick rings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil on both sides. Place on the direct-heat side of the grill and char, cooking until softened, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a cutting board and cut each slice into quarters.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, Dijon and honey. Drizzle in 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine the arugula, mozzarella, onion and eggplant. Dress with the vinaigrette and serve!