Grilled Tomato Eggplant (Printer-Friendly)

Mediterranean grilled eggplant and tomatoes with garlic herb marinade and balsamic finish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium eggplants, sliced into ½-inch rounds
02 - 3 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into ½-inch rounds

→ Marinade

03 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
06 - ½ teaspoon sea salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Garnish

08 - 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
09 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat, approximately 400°F.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk until evenly blended.
03 - Using a basting brush, generously coat both sides of each eggplant and tomato slice with the marinade mixture, ensuring even coverage.
04 - Place the eggplant slices on the hot grill and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side until fork-tender with pronounced grill marks. Transfer to a platter.
05 - Grill the tomato slices for approximately 2 minutes per side until just softened but still holding their shape. Remove carefully with tongs.
06 - Arrange the grilled eggplant and tomato slices on a serving platter in alternating layers. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and garnish with fresh basil chiffonade before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns three humble vegetables into something that tastes like a long afternoon on a Mediterranean terrace.
  • The entire dish comes together in thirty minutes with almost zero cleanup, which makes it the laziest impressive thing you will ever cook.
02 -
  • Do not rush the eggplant on the grill, flipping too early tears the flesh and you lose those beautiful char lines entirely.
  • Tomatoes cook in half the time of eggplant, so always start the eggplant first or you will end up with cold tomatoes waiting on the counter.
03 -
  • Use a basting brush you trust, a silicone one keeps the garlic from getting stuck in bristles and burning.
  • If your grill pan has seen better days, a light rub of oil on the ridges before heating prevents sticking better than oiling the vegetables alone.

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