I'm looking for some flavorful ideas for grilling eggplant. Mine is always so bland. Should it be peeled? Sliced lengthwise or rounds?

Pamela731
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5 Comments

babytiger September 4, 2012
Miso is just lovely with eggplants. I also love them grilled and then drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
 
Kristen W. September 4, 2012
Also, to answer your question, I like a simple combo of salt, pepper, olive oil, and a splash of balsamic. I don't add any additional salt after weeping though b/c it's already seasoned and would be too salty if I did. I totally agree with petitbleu that cooking it long enough is key.
 
Kristen W. September 4, 2012
Do you use salt to weep the eggplant first? That brings out the sweetness which might help with your blandness problem, regardless of what you put on it.
 
petitbleu September 3, 2012
I don't usually peel eggplant unless the skin is very thick and tough. All the eggplants we've gotten at the farmer's market this year have been exceptionally good and don't need peeling. You could slice it in slabs or in rounds. I don't think it would make much of a difference besides an aesthetic one. One of my favorite things to do with eggplant this year has been to make a miso glaze--miso paste (white or red), mirin, ponzu sauce, and a little honey--and glaze the eggplant with it. I would grill the eggplant slabs or slices for 10 minutes over indirect heat (the coolest part of your grill), turning once or twice. Then, glaze the eggplants and cover. Grill about 5 minutes more to finish.
The key with eggplant, in my opinion, is to cook it long enough. Eggplant can be tough and spongy if undercooked.
 
Pamela731 September 3, 2012
Thank you. That sounds great. I have all the different misos in my fridge
 
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