This simple Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Infused Olive Oil is a great side dish for almost any meal.
Depending on where you are from, you might know eggplant as either aubergine or brinjal. It has a hearty texture that can be used in place of meat in dishes like baked Eggplant Parmesan. When cooked, eggplant has a rich, creamy texture.
How to Make Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Infusing olive oil with fragrant and sweet garlic is easy to do and really adds a wonderful flavor to this grilled eggplant recipe.
To infuse the garlic into the olive oil
- Heat your extra virgin olive oil in a skillet until the oil begins to shimmer.
- Peel and finely chop your garlic cloves
- Add the chopped garlic to the hot oil and cook 5 minutes or until garlic is soft.
As the garlic cooks it will sweeten and release all its oil and flavor into the olive oil.
Is Eggplant a Healthy Vegetable?
Eggplant is a non-starchy vegetable (technically a fruit) that is almost guilt-free to eat. It is low in carbohydrates and calories and high in fiber. This makes eggplant a great choice for the Keto and Mediterranean Diets.
Eggplant would not be considered a superfood but it does have some health benefits.
1 cup (82g) of raw Eggplant contains:
- Calories: 20
- Carbohydrates: 4.82 g
- Fiber: 2.5g
- Protein: 0.8 g
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Iron
- Vitamin B-6
- Magnesium
More health benefits of eggplant can be found here.
Is Eggplant Skin Nutritious?
Eggplant skin is both edible and nutritious.
One of the health benefits of the purple skin of a Globe Eggplant is from an anthocyanin called nasunin. This antioxidant can help protect brain cell membranes, transport nutrients into cells, and move waste out.
More health benefits of Nasunin can be found here.
How Can I Tell If an Eggplant is Ripe?
Push on the skin of the eggplant. It should not be hard and will have a little give. If the eggplant feels soft, like a ripe peach, it is too ripe.
Why Do You Soak Eggplant in Salt Water?
Many heirloom and other varieties of eggplant can be a little bitter. This is also why some people prefer to peel their eggplant.
The traditional way to reduce the bitterness in eggplant is to salt the eggplant or soak it in a salt water “brine”.
Salting Eggplant:
Apply dry salt directly to the cut eggplant. Leave the salt on for up to 30 minutes, rinse well, dry with a paper towel, and cook.
Brining Eggplant:
Dissolve 1 Tbsp salt in a cup of warm water. Mix in 1-2 quarts of cold water and add cut eggplant. Weigh down the eggplant with a plate or bowl and let soak for 30-60 minutes. Remove from the water and dry well before cooking.
How Should I Serve This Eggplant?
This grilled eggplant is a simple dish that is delicious the way it is and makes a great vegetable as side dish.
It can also be served:
- As a snack or light lunch with some fresh Focaccia – (Recipe Here)
- Sprinkled with a little Feta cheese
- Seasoned to your liking with a little salt, oregano, or thyme
Eggplant has the ability to easily absorb flavors from olive oil and other seasonings. Please experiment with this recipe and let me know your favorite way to eat eggplant.
Watch this Grilled Eggplant Recipe Being Made
Grilled Eggplant with Garlic Infused Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 2 Eggplant
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 6 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
- ¼ cup Parsley finely chopped
- ½ Lemon for juice
Instructions
- In a large bowl dissolve 1 tbsp salt in 1 cup of hot water.
- Once dissolved, fill the bowl with 1-2 additional quarts of cold water.
- Cut the eggplant into thin slices (1/3” or 1cm) and soak them in the water for 30-60 minutes.
- Remove the eggplant slices from the water, rinse, and dry well.
- Brush olive oil onto each side of the eggplant and cook in a hot skillet or grill top until golden brown. (A George Foreman style grill can also work for this.) It will take about 7-10 minutes.
- Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a skillet until the oil begins to shimmer.
- Add the chopped garlic to the hot oil and cook 5 minutes or until garlic is soft.
- Add the chopped parsley and mix well.
- Pour the garlic infused olive oil onto the eggplant and top with a dash of fresh lemon juice.