Courtesy Angela Davis, recipe developer, The Kitchenista Diaries
Vegetarians often get short shrift at the grill, but eggplant drizzled with steak-friendly chimichurri will make even meat eaters happy. Charred and smoky, eggplant rubbed with ancho chili and paprika is a brilliant match for the bright flavors of this spicy Argentinean herb sauce. The eggplant develops a crusty exterior with meltingly tender flesh inside. This vibrant main course is good warm or at room temperature, suitable for a cookout or a busy weeknight dinner.
Published: June 22, 2017
Ingredients
Ingredients for Eggplant
Directions
To make chimichurri: In bowl of food processor or mortar, combine all ingredients except olive oil and salt. Pulse (or grind with pestle) until finely minced. Scrape sides of bowl. Continue to pulse (or grind), and add just enough olive oil in thin stream to create thick but pourable dressing. Add salt, to taste. Set aside until needed.
To cook eggplant: Prepare outdoor grill for medium-high direct heat (400–450˚F), or heat a cast-iron grill pan until just shy of smoking.
Combine spices in small dish. Brush one side of eggplant slices with grapeseed oil, then season with spice mixture. Flip eggplant slices and repeat.
Brush grill grates lightly with grapeseed oil. Place eggplant on grill. Cook about 5 minutes, or until grill marks form. Flip and cook until eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to serving platter. Drizzle with chimichurri. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 2.
Pair It
Bressia 2016 Monteagrelo Cabernet Franc (Mendoza).
Andy Myers, MS, wine director for José Andres’s ThinkFoodGroup in Washington, D.C., recommends an Argentinean wine. He cites chimichurri’s history in the country, and also that the eggplant is treated like a steak. This one “has those lovely ripe, red fruits that will add a sweet burst of flavor to the dish, but the light vegetal notes that Cab Franc are famous for will go nuts for the sauce and the roasted notes of the eggplant.”
