Grilled Eggplant with Sesame Marinade

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Grilling vegetables is one of the easiest ways to enhance their flavors, and eggplant is no exception. The marinade adds a delicious Asian flavor to this dish and brings out the natural sweetness in this vegetable.

Sesame Marinade

2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar, white or brown
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove minced garlic
1 scallion, green parts, cut

Combine all ingredients, with the exception of the green onion, in a small saucepan.

Cook over low heat, constantly stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the marinade is warm. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Grilled Eggplant

1 eggplant
1 tablespoons olive oil

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Cut and remove the stem of the eggplant, then cut it in half lengthwise. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal slices through the flesh, roughly 1/2 to 1-inch deep, depending on the size of your eggplant. Do not cut through the eggplant. Turn the eggplant to 90° and again cut diagonal slices to create a criss-cross pattern.

Brush the flesh side of each half with a very thin layer of olive oil and place it flesh side down onto the grill.

Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, then turn and brush the flesh side with a generous amount of marinade. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn the eggplant back over, flesh side down, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until tender.

Transfer the eggplant to a platter. Cover with foil and let sit for 5 minutes before enjoying.

Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Contains

Cilantro
Eggplant
Scallions