BlogHer - Grill Some Eggplant for Labor Day - Comments

Eggplant would be great on the George Foreman!

Kalyn Denny — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 08:51:52 -0500

Sounds like a great idea. I have a GF grill too, but don't use it very much (mostly just for bacon for BLT sandwiches, which I don't eat very often!) I may try using it for eggplant too.

If you want to start with a simple recipe, just brush your eggplant slices with some Italian Salad Dressing (not fat free, choose one with olive oil.) Brush both sides, then grill. I'd guess it would cook in about 10 minutes on the GF grill, but that's just a guess.

If it's a big eggplant you might want to salt the pieces first and let them drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then wipe dry and grill as above. Some experts think this takes out the bitterness. I grow eggplant in my garden and if I pick them small, I find this isn't necessary. The thin Asian eggplants also don't need salting.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Question on How to Cook Eggplant...

thebetterhalfoflife — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 23:27:37 -0500

Do you think I could grill eggplant on a George Foreman? I recently bought an eggplant, and the only other time I tried to cook one I failed miserably. I do not own a regular grill because I live in an apartment...so other than using a George Foreman I would probably be most like to broil it. Any addition tips and suggests you coud give me would be greatly appreciated!

You're welcome

Kalyn Denny — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:43:37 -0500

So glad you liked the post. Hope you get to try one of the recipes; most of them are vegetarian.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

We Love Eggplant!

Crystal Peace — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:31:31 -0500

I can happily say our family loves egg plant. Grilled eggplant is one of the best ways to have it and I especially like the photos you've posted.

Our family favorite is eggplant parmesan and ratatouille. :) With 1/2 of our family of 6 practicing vegetarianism, this is a dish we can all enjoy.

Thanks so much!

Crystal Peace

You're welcome!

Kalyn Denny — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:37:55 -0500

And as you can tell, I am 100% in agreement with you about how eggplant is best when it's grilled!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Thanks for including my recipe!

SusanV — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 15:32:41 -0500

Grilling really is the best way to cook eggplant, and I'm glad you're bringing it the attention it deserves. I'm going to have a lot of fun looking through all these recipes!

SusanV

FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Grill Some Eggplant for Labor Day

Kalyn Denny — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:09:31 -0500

If someone tells me they don't like eggplant, I always ask if they've ever tried grilled eggplant. If they say no, then I share the story about how grilled eggplant changed me from being eggplant-indifferent into someone who loves eggplant. If you don't have a barbecue grill, you can also "grill" the eggplant using a stove-top grill pan or under the broiler, so here are a few grilled eggplant ideas to get you started.

When an eggplant showed up in her CSA box, Helen from Beyond Salmon turned her husband into an eggplant fan with Honey Garlic Grilled Eggplant.

At Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, Susan introduces her readers to a new spice mix called Vadouvan and then uses it in a recipe for amazing sounding Grilled Eggplant with Vadouvan-Cashew Cream Sauce (pictured above.)

Sam at Greek Food has a Grilled Eggplant Salad that he modeled after a dish served at his favorite Greek restaurant in Toronto.

Food on the Brain serves up a tasty-looking Grilled Eggplant with Indian Spices.

I like the sound of everything included in the recipe for Grilled Eggplant with Tomatoes and Cheese from Technicolor Kitchen in Brazil (pictured above.) Patricia grilled the eggplant in a pan on the stove, but you could also use an outdoor grill.

At Closet Cooking, Kevin makes Grilled Eggplant Goat Cheese Towers, and uses the broiler instead of a grill to cook the eggplant.

Laylita's Recipes shares Anna's Eggplant Appetizers (pictured above) and don't those grilled eggplant slices with tomatoes and garlicy mayo look just delicious?

Finally, don't judge them on their looks because Andrea of Andrea's Recipes says her Italian Grilled Eggplant Cakes taste great even though they aren't that pretty to look at.

Kalyn Denny writes about food and at BlogHer.com and shares her passion for cooking at Kalyn's Kitchen. The recipe that turned her into a grilled eggplant lover is Spicy Grilled Eggplant with Red Pepper, Parsley, and Mint, and she also loves to make Grilled Eggplant with Garlic-Cumin Vinaigrette, Feta, and Two Herbs.