#EGGPLANT STACKS WITH CHIFFONADE PLUS#

Repeat the layering twice to make a stacked eggplant caprese. Top one-third of the slices with a fresh slice of ripe tomato and a thin slice of fresh mozzarella and another slice of eggplant. Place the grilled eggplant slices on a platter.Garnish the eggplant with chopped fresh mint. Brush the mixture onto the eggplant after grilling it for approximately three minutes. Give the dish a Lebanese twist by combining 1 to 2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt with freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste.Scatter the grilled eggplant with crumbled feta cheese for a zesty Greek-inspired side dish. Use fresh lemon juice in place of the balsamic vinegar, and fresh oregano instead of the parsley and basil.She blogs and offers a weekly newsletter at. Krieger's most recent cookbook is 'Weeknight Wonders: Delicious Healthy Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less' (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013). Top each with 2 slices of bell pepper, then 2 tomato slices and a few grilled onion rings. Arrange 3 or 4 slices each of zucchini and eggplant in a circle, overlapping slightly, on each plate. When ready to serve, drizzle the grilled vegetables with the vinegar. Close the lid and cook, turning them once or twice, until they have grill marks and are softened, about 10 minutes total for the eggplant 7 or 8 minutes total for the zucchini, onion and bell pepper and 6 minutes for the tomatoes.

Use a vegetable grilling basket or place them directly on the grill, in batches if needed. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames.īrush all the sliced vegetables with oil on both sides, then season with the salt and pepper. For a medium fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for 4 to 5 seconds.

If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal once the coals are ready, distribute them evenly in the cooking area. Prepare the grill for direct heat or preheat a gas grill to medium-high (400 to 450 degrees).

#EGGPLANT STACKS WITH CHIFFONADE PLUS#

Bring to room temperature before stacking and serving.įrom nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.ġ small eggplant (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick roundsġ medium zucchini (about 8 ounces), sliced into 1/2-inch-thick roundsġ small red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick ringsġ medium orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick ringsģ medium firm ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded (optional) and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slicesġ tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons red wine vinegarġ/2 cup fresh basil leaves, stacked, then rolled tightly and cut crosswise into ribbons (chiffonade) MAKE AHEAD: The vegetables can be grilled in advance and stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The dish's simple elegance and make-ahead friendliness make it ideal for easy entertaining, and the unbeatable vegetable-meets-grill flavor really shines through. The seasonings couldn't be simpler: olive oil, salt and pepper before grilling and then a finishing hit of red wine vinegar and ribbons of fresh basil. To make them, I use the vegetables that compose a classic ratatouille - zucchini, eggplant, onion, peppers, tomatoes - in part because they are so harmonious tastewise and in part because they all can be cut into rounds that are easily layered and stacked. They present so beautifully and pair well with just about anything else you might grill up or serve as part of an extended salad spread. Throughout the summer and easily through October, I always grill up a batch to have on hand for the week to chop and toss into green salads or egg scrambles, layer onto sandwiches and pizzas, etc.īut when I am entertaining, I step up the presentation and compose these gorgeous grilled vegetable stacks. What's more, grilled vegetables are incredibly versatile, and they keep so well in the refrigerator that they can be a healthful jumping-off point for any number of fantastic dishes. Grilling, on the other hand, makes vegetables luscious and compelling, concentrating their flavor and giving them a stunning char without piling on calories and saturated fat. Of course vegetables are good for you, but sometimes making them delicious translates into erasing their nutritional benefits and inherent flavor - as in breading and frying, or smothering in cheese sauce. I can't think of a better example of the convergence of taste and health than grilled vegetables.

Eggplant stacks with chiffonade