Grilled Eggplant Stacks with Basil Chiffonade

Eggplant is like a sponge when it comes to soaking up the marvelous flavors of foods it is paired with. Purple eggplant will make the prettiest dish, but white or golden eggplant will work as well.

Prep Time:
25 mins
Grill Time:
8 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
5

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (10 to 12 slices)

  • 5 tablespoon Basil-Infused Olive Oil*

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1 19 ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained

  • 4 ounce feta cheese, crumbled

  • ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • ½ cup bottled roasted red sweet peppers, cut into bite-size strips

  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves

Basil-Infused Olive Oil

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

  • ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

Directions

  1. Brush eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of the Basil-Infused Olive Oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

  2. For a charcoal grill, grill eggplant slices on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium-high coals for 8 to 10 minutes or until very tender and lightly charred, turning frequently. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium-high. Place eggplant slices on grill rack directly over heat. Cover and grill as directed.)

  3. In a food processor or blender combine cannellini beans, feta cheese, lemon peel, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the Basil-infused Olive Oil, and the garlic. Cover and process or blend just until combined but still chunky. Season with salt and black pepper.

  4. Arrange eggplant slices on serving plates. Top with bean mixture and roasted pepper strips. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Basil-Infused Olive Oil. For basil chiffonade, roll up basil leaves and cut across the roll; sprinkle over eggplant stacks.

Basil-Infused Olive Oil

  1. In a blender combine olive oil and basil leaves. Cover and blend until finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat just until bubbles appear around the edges. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Strain mixture and store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*Tip:

If you like, substitute purchased basil-infused olive oil for the homemade.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

302 Calories
19g Fat
27g Carbs
11g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 5
Calories 302
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19g 24%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 771mg 34%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 9.4mg 47%
Calcium 181.7mg 14%
Iron 2.2mg 12%
Potassium 371mg 8%
Folate, total 40.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.4mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.2mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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