Description
Grilled Tomato Eggplant is charred, smoky eggplant infused with the rich taste of tangy tomato powder, fragrant Italian herb seasoning and aromatic smoky-sweet Spanish Smoked Sweet Paprika. It’s an unexpected burst of summer flavor. Served on a bed of rice with tahini sauce it’s the perfect light dinner or vegetable side dish. Whenever you serve it, each bite will be bursting with goodness!
Ingredients
- 3 medium eggplants
- 1/2–1 cup kosher salt (I like Diamond brand)
- 3 tablespoons garlic oil or 3 small cloves minced garlic + 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian Herb seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- cooked brown rice and tahini sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Set a wire cooling rack over it. Set aside another similarly sized baking sheet and heavy cans/bottles/flour sacks.
- Cut each eggplant in half and score each half diagonally with around 4-5 slits.
- Generously sprinkle and rub kosher salt on each eggplant half. Wait 5-10 minutes, then place the eggplant halves cut side down on the wire cooling rack.
- Set the second baking sheet on top of the eggplant, then weigh down the baking sheet with set-aside heavy objects.
- Allow the eggplant to drain for at least an hour and up to several hours.
- Remove an eggplant from the rack and gently squeeze out the excess liquid, then thoroughly rinse and pat dry. Repeat with the remaining eggplant halves.
- Preheat grill to 400°F. Lightly grease the grill by brushing a little olive oil over the grates.
- Place each eggplant half cut side down on the grill. Close the lid and grill for 7-10 minutes until grill marks are visible on the eggplant and it’s lightly charred. Turn the halves over and grill, covered for an additional 7 minutes until the halves are cooked through and bubbling.
- Remove from the grill and serve on a bed of rice and tahini sauce.
Equipment
Colavita Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Low FODMAP, 32 Fl Oz
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The Spice House Italian Herb Seasoning
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The Spice House Spanish Smoked Sweet Paprika
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Buy Now → Notes
Medium eggplant are the eggplants that are smaller than the traditional large eggplant, larger than Indian/baby eggplant and more traditionally shaped than Asian eggplant.
If you can’t find medium eggplant, use the smallest traditional eggplant you can find.
Grilling times may vary depending upon the size of your eggplant.
If you don’t have tomato powder, whisk 2 tablespoons of tomato paste into the oil, then toss with the rest of the spices and the eggplant.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Grilled Tomato Eggplant half
- Calories: 30
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Sodium: 4.1 mg
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
