Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [196]
6. Mix the crushed tomatoes in a large bowl with 2 cloves of the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Chop 16 of the basil leaves finely and stir in.
7. Mix the pieces of mozzarella, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and the remaining clove of garlic in a separate bowl.
8. Spoon half of the tomato mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
9. Place a basil leaf at one end of an eggplant slice. Top with a piece of cheese with the oil and garlic clinging to it and roll up the eggplant slice around the cheese. Put seam-side down on the tomato sauce. Roll up the remaining eggplant slices and cheese in the same way and pack them snugly into the baking dish. Top with the remaining tomato mixture, and scatter the Parmesan over the top.
10. Put the baking dish on the grill away from the direct heat, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, until bubbling all around the edge. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F.
11. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve 2 eggplant rolls to each person.
Grilled Asian Eggplant with Hoisin and Vodka
Asian eggplants are leaner, sweeter, and firmer than their more common Mediterranean counterparts. Their paper-thin skins don’t toughen during cooking, and their dense flesh browns beautifully, making them the definitive eggplant for grilling. There are several types of Asian eggplant, but Chinese is preferred. It is more lavender than purple, and its flesh is creamy white. Japanese eggplant can also be used, but its flesh is more bitter.
TIMING
Prep: 15 minutes
Grill: 6 to 8 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Grill screen
• Long-handled tongs
MAKING SUBSTITUTIONS
• If you don’t want to use vodka, you can use water instead.
• Parsley can be substituted for the cilantro.
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THE GRILL
Gas:
Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)
Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting
Wood:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)
1 pound Chinese or Japanese eggplant 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons vodka
1 medium tomato (about 8 ounces), cored and finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled gingerroot
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Oil for coating grill screen
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed.
2. Slice the eggplants lengthwise in 3/8-inch-thick slices all the way to, but not through, the stem ends. Mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with the hoisin sauce and vodka in a deep-sided plate. Fan the eggplant slices and turn them in the sauce until thoroughly coated. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the tomato, cilantro, ginger, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl.
4. Put the grill screen on the grill and coat it with oil. Put the fanned-out eggplant on the screen, cover, and cook until browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
5. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the tomato mixture. Cover and keep warm for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle, then serve.
Grilled Tandoori Eggplant
Cooked eggplant isn’t pretty. Cursed with the color of putty, and with pulp that’s bland tasting at best, this perennial wallflower is crying out for a gilding of tandoori. Here a rich, thick tandoori marinade enrobes slices of eggplant with Indian spices in a rich yogurt mask. The eggplant emerges from the grill gleaming gold and heady with aromas. It is topped with a splash of orange juice and crisp fresh scallion for contrast.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes (plus 5 minutes for marinade)
Marinate: 15 minutes
Grill: 15 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled tongs
* * *
THE GRILL
Gas:
Direct heat, medium (350°F)
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal: