Grilled Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce
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Grilled eggplant is a popular way to cook it many parts of the Mediterranean. Eggplants flesh takes well to the smoke and char from the grill, enhancing its flavors. You want to make sure to cut the eggplant about 1/4 inch thick. At this thickness the eggplant’s inner flesh will be cooks at about the same time the outside develops a nice char. Then pair it with this tangy, lemony yogurt sauce to complete the dish.
MAKES: 4 Servings
PREP/COOK TIME: 40 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
6 garlic cloves, peeled
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 cup plain fat free Greek or Icelandic yogurt (we prefer Siggi’s)
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
DIRECTIONS
Heat a small frying pan on medium heat and combine the olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Heat until the garlic is golden brown, being careful not to burn the garlic as it will turn bitter. Strain the garlic through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl. Reserve the garlic and solids separately.
Whisk the yogurt, mint, lemon zest and juice, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil in a separate bowl; set aside.
Preheat a gas grill on high; cover; heat until hot about 10 - 15 minutes. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Turn all burners to medium-high.
Brush the eggplant slices with the remaining garlic oil and season with salt a pepper. Grill the eggplant, covered until brown and tender, about 4 minutes per side. If all the slices do not fit on the grill, transfer the finished eggplant slices to a platter and cover with foil then repeat the process with the remaining eggplant slices. Drizzle yogurt sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with the remaining salt and garlic solids. Serve.
