But this is about food - specifically, a recipe I found on the web for grilled eggplant. True confession - eggplant is something I don't LOVE - but I've grown to like it quite a lot. And this seems to be the magic treatment that moves me into the love category. And it is ridiculously simple (which seems to be a theme with the very best dishes we've made this summer).
So....take some eggplant, cut off the ends, and peel away some of the skin lengthwise to make a striped pattern. In a small bowl, mix 4 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes and a few grinds of black pepper and salt. Add a few tbsp of water so that it thins a bit and all ingredients blend. Slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds. Start tossing the eggplant slices into the bowl, turn them to ensure both sides get immersed - let sit on a baking sheet for the seasoning to soak in for 30 min or so. Fire up the grill - we grill them on high for 3 minutes per side, so that they get a nice set of browned hash marks. Beware - they are addictive.....make plenty! The amount of coating above works for 3 medium sized eggplant - adjust accordingly. Tonight we had this with grilled zucchini and grilled salmon marinated in a nice spicy BBQ sauce.
Delicious - and healthy too!