WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: When you want to enjoy eggplant as a simple side dish, broiling it is a great way to do so; while you can jazz it up with a simple glaze if you want, all you really need is a sprinkling of fresh herbs. That said, if you try to simply slice and broil eggplant, it will steam in its own juices rather than brown. So to get broiled eggplant with great color and texture, we started by salting it to draw out its moisture. After 30 minutes, we patted the slices dry, moved them to a baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil for easy cleanup), and brushed them with oil. With the excess moisture taken care of, all the eggplant required was a few minutes per side under the blazing-hot broiler to turn a beautiful mahogany color. With its concentrated roasted flavor, the only accent needed was a sprinkling of fresh basil. Make sure to slice the eggplant thin so that the slices will cook through by the time the exterior is browned.
Serves: 4 to 6
Total time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 1½ pounds eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch- thick rounds
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Spread eggplant over rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels, sprinkle both sides with 1½ teaspoons salt (¾ teaspoon per side), and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Thoroughly pat eggplant dry, arrange in single layer on aluminum foil– lined baking sheet, and brush both sides with oil. Broil eggplant until tops are mahogany brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip eggplant and broil until second side is brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer eggplant to serving platter, season with pepper to taste, and sprinkle with basil. Serve.
VARIATION:
BROILED EGGPLANT WITH SESAME-MISO GLAZE:
- Any type of miso will work well here. Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine; sherry can be substituted for the mirin if necessary.
- Substitute vegetable oil for olive oil and 1 sliced scallion for basil. Whisk 1 tablespoon miso, 3 tablespoons mirin, and 1 tablespoon tahini together in bowl. After browning second side, brush with miso mixture, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, and continue to broil until miso and seeds are browned, about 2 minutes.
