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.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants trimmed and cut into ¼-inch rounds
- ½ - 2/3 cup extra virgin Greek olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly grated black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch cilantro trimmed and leaves chopped
- 1 – 2 large firm, ripe tomatoes, trimmed and diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 splash of honey vinegar or as much as desired
Instructions
- In a large basin or mixing bowl, toss the eggplant slices with sea salt, pepper and ½ cup olive oil, or more, as needed.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!