Grilled Eggplant with Cilantro, Tomatoes & Honey Vinegar
Sometimes it is the easiest Greek diet recipes that are the tastiest! This grilled eggplant recipe, drizzled with a simple combination of basic Mediterranean diet ingredients -- tomatoes, fresh herbs (in this case cilantro), extra virgin Greek olive oil and a special fermented honey vinegar--makes a wonderful meze to savor and share with friends. I like to make this all summer when I am in my native village on the Blue Zone Greek island, Ikaria. The consumption of fresh, seasonal vegetables and plant-based recipes, as well as of fermented foods like the vinegar that is splashed over this, are one of the longevity secrets to these islanders’ legendary lifespans.
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2
large eggplants
trimmed and cut into ¼-inch rounds
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½ - 2/3
cup
extra virgin Greek olive oil
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Sea salt to taste
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Freshly grated black pepper to taste
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1
bunch cilantro
trimmed and leaves chopped
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1
– 2 large
firm, ripe tomatoes, trimmed and diced
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2
garlic cloves
minced
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1
splash of honey vinegar
or as much as desired
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In a large basin or mixing bowl, toss the eggplant slices with sea salt, pepper and ½ cup olive oil, or more, as needed.
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Combine the chopped tomato, garlic, cilantro in a mixing bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper, a drizzling of olive oil. and a splash of the honey vinegar. Set aside.
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Fire up the grill to medium, or heat a grill pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the pan. Grill the eggplant slices until tender, turning once, so that there are grill marks on both sides.
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Serve the eggplant slices in a platter, drizzled with the tomato-cilantro mixture, in one layer or multiple layers on the same dish, as desired.