Grilling eggplants on a panini grill takes a fraction of the usual grilling time. Eggplants are ready in about 3-4 minutes. All you have to do is to brush the slices with olive oil and heat the Panini grill for at least 5 minutes. Best of all, after cleaning is reduced to almost nothing. This recipe can easily be doubled in case you are planning your mezze summer party.
Yield: 6-8 eggplant rolls
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or more for brushing the eggplant slices
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 large long eggplant, top and bottom trimmed, cut lenghtwise into 1/2 inch (1,2 cm) slices
- 3/4 cup (170 g) creamy goat cheese
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (8 g) chopped basil
- 1/4 cup (8 g) flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup (16 g) scallions thinly sliced
- juice of 1/2 lemon or to taste
Preparation:
Place eggplant slices on paper towels, salt both sides and let them sit for 15 minutes. After the elapsed time, pat eggplant slices dry and sprinkle them with freshly ground pepper. Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Preheat grill. Place slices on the panini grill in even layers. Grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through with nice grill marks. Remove slices from the grill and spread them on paper towels to cool. Depending on the size of your panini grill, you might have to work 2 – 4 batches. Don’t have a panini grill? Buy one, it’s a good investment if you are a Flexitarian.
In the meantime place goat cheese in a bowl, add 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons basil, parsley, and scallions. Mix all well. Add more olive oil, if necessary to obtain a smooth, spreadable goat cheese mix. Taste for salt and pepper.
Arrange eggplant slices on a working surface and put a heaping tablespoon of goat cheese mix on top of each slice spreading it evenly over the slices. Roll eggplant slices tightly and place seam side down on a serving plate.
In a bowl, mix the 1/2 cup (120 ml) of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, scallions, herbs, and lemon juice. Taste for salt and pepper. Pour some of the olive oil dressing over the eggplant rolls and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes. Serve with leftover dressing on the side.
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