2½-3poundsItalian or globe eggplantapprox 1.2 kg in total
salt
Marinade:
½cupolive oilextra virgin
¼cupbalsamic vinegar
4clovesgarlic clovesfresh, minced or pressed
2teaspoonsoreganodried leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish:
Italian parsleyfresh, chopped
grilled red hot chili peppersoptional
Instructions
Prep the eggplant:
Wash 2 whole eggplants, about 2½-3 pounds, under cool running water. Dry with a tea towel. There’s no need to peel or seed the eggplant for this recipe.
Trim the top. Then, using a sharp knife, slice the eggplant in half. Lay it flat on your cutting board and cut it lengthwise into ¼-inch thick half moons. Transfer the slices to a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle the eggplant slices with kosher salt.
Allow at least 30 minutes for the salt to draw out any extra moisture from the sliced eggplants.
Then, remove the eggplant slices from the colander and place them on paper towels. Gently pat dry the top with another paper towel. You can also use a tea towel.
Transfer the slices of eggplant to a large shallow bowl.
Combine with marinade and grill:
In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade.
Pour the prepared marinade over the eggplant slices. Gently toss to coat all of the eggplants in the mixture. Allow the eggplant to marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, tossing a few times.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat, about 375-400°F or 190-205° C.
Grill the eggplant slices on each side for 3-4 minutes, flipping only once. Grill until they’re slightly charred around the edges and tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove from grill and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with fresh chopped Italian parsley and grilled red hot chili peppers (optional).
Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
To ensure that your eggplant slices cook uniformly, ensure they’re all cut to the same thickness.
Allow the eggplant to marinate in the vinaigrette for at least 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to penetrate the eggplant.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is just a rough estimate and variations can occur depending on the specific ingredients used.