The Easiest Eggplant

Many eggplant recipes call for slicing it, salting it, draining it, even leaving it in the sun to dry for hours. And this is before you begin cooking. Yet the tastiest eggplant is also one of the quickest to make. It requires no advance preparation and can be virtually fat-free.

This method is grilling--not grilling the slices, but rather the entire eggplant. Simply put the whole thing on the grill after you have finished grilling meat or fish. It acquires an intriguing smoky flavor and aroma and needs just a little seasoning to become a delectable appetizer.

Grilled eggplant is an ancient dish that has long been a favorite in the Middle East. Once the eggplant is tender, it is peeled, chopped and flavored with garlic, lemon juice and a little olive oil, tahini or mayonnaise. Other popular additions are chopped onion, cilantro, parsley, tomatoes and diced cucumbers. Though these appetizers are called salads, they really are more like spreads, and they’re perfect for scooping up with pieces of pita bread.

The timing for grilling eggplant is exceedingly flexible. The flesh inside needs to be tender, but it seems quite tolerant of overcooking.

If grilling over charcoal isn’t convenient, you can also broil or bake the whole eggplant. The first eggplant dish I ever made was a whole baked one--or rather, it was supposed to be a whole one. I was living outside Tel Aviv, and my neighbor gave me a recipe for eggplant salad. She instructed me to put the whole eggplant directly on a rack in a hot oven, and that’s exactly what I did. Minutes later, a loud boom came from the kitchen, and when I opened the oven, there was almost nothing left of my eggplant. It had exploded into many tiny pieces.

What I didn’t know was that you have to pierce the eggplant a few times with a fork before placing it in the oven to let the accumulating steam escape.

When I plan to cook dinner on the barbecue, I like to have several eggplants on hand. After the other food is cooked, I grill the eggplants. This way I have the makings of a savory vegetarian sandwich spread, a snack or the beginning of the next day’s lunch or supper ready in the refrigerator.

For the following recipes I generally use the common large Italian eggplants. But the smaller, zucchini-size Japanese or Chinese eggplants are also wonderful prepared this way and take only about half as long to cook.

This appetizer, also known as “eggplant caviar,” is prepared throughout the eastern Mediterranean area, from Greece to Egypt. The Creamy Eggplant Salad variation is a favorite in Israel. Serve the salad with pita or Italian bread.

If you want to cook the eggplants under the broiler, choose fairly slender ones so they will fit.

GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD WITH OLIVE OIL AND GARLIC

4 medium eggplants

2 or 3 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 to 2 teaspoons strained lemon juice, optional

2 or 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro, optional

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Black olives for garnish

Parsley or cilantro sprigs for garnish

Pierce eggplants few times with fork. Place on oiled rack above medium-hot coals and grill about 1 hour, or broil about 40 minutes, turning often, until skin blackens, flesh is tender and eggplants look collapsed. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Remove skins and cut off caps. Halve eggplants and drain off any liquid inside. Chop flesh to chunky puree.

Combine eggplants, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and parsley in large bowl. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Salad should be highly seasoned. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve salad in shallow bowl and garnish with olives and parsley sprigs. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note : To bake eggplants instead of grilling, pierce skins and place eggplants on large, foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees 30 minutes. Turn eggplants over and bake until very tender when pierced with fork, 30 to 40 minutes more.

Variation

CREAMY EGGPLANT SALAD

Omit olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons minced onion and 2/3 cup regular or low-calorie mayonnaise.

The Middle Eastern sesame paste known as tahini is a perfect complement for grilled eggplant. In addition to the garlic and lemon juice, some cooks flavor this salad with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Serve this rich salad in small portions with pita bread.

EGGPLANT SALAD WITH TAHINI

2 medium eggplants

5 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup tahini

6 tablespoons strained lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Pierce eggplants few times with fork. Place on oiled rack over medium-hot coals and grill about 1 hour, or broil about 40 minutes, turning often, until skin blackens and flesh is tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Remove skins and cut off caps. Halve eggplants and drain off any liquid inside. Chop flesh to chunky puree. Transfer to bowl. Add garlic.

Stir tahini until blended before measuring it into medium bowl. Gradually stir in lemon juice and water until smooth. Add tahini mixture to eggplant and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve salad on plates and sprinkle with parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Throw some green or sweet red peppers on the grill alongside the eggplant to prepare this tasty appetizer.

EGGPLANT SALAD WITH GRILLED PEPPERS

2 long, fairly slender eggplants

2 sweet red or green peppers

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped green onion, optional

1 tablespoon olive oil, optional

1 tablespoon vinegar, optional

Salt

Hot pepper sauce

Pierce eggplants few times with fork. Place eggplants on oiled rack over medium-hot coals and grill about 1 hour, or broil about 40 minutes, turning often, until skin blackens and flesh is tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, grill peppers alongside eggplants (or broil in oven), turning often, until skins blister all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer peppers to bowl and cover tightly, or place in plastic food bag and seal tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel peppers using paring knife and remove seeds. Dice peppers and set aside.

When eggplants are cool, remove skins and cut off caps. Halve eggplants and drain off any liquid inside. Chop flesh to chunky puree and place in bowl. Add garlic, parsley, onion, olive oil, vinegar and salt and hot pepper sauce to taste. Stir in peppers. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 6 servings.

Note : If you omit olive oil, omit vinegar as well.