adapted from Gourmet Today edited by Ruth Reichl
Serves 6
Summer is my favorite food season. Peaches, berries, and melon; tomatoes, zucchini, green beens, and eggplant; cold seafood platters, salads, and, of course, the grill is what summer food is all about. The season and the food are supposed to be relaxed and easy going. It’s too hot to be in a hurry. Under-schedule your life. Summer is the perfect time to make time. Vacation, invite friends over, go for a swim, read a good book. Take time to smell the sunflowers.
The grill is an easy way to entertain as it tends to be communal. Guests socialize around the grill with a cold drink while the griller cooks the food. It is a particularly nice way to entertain in the summer. Even in hot and humid climates, the dark of night cools things down making it almost pleasant to be outside.
We invited friends over to grill steak not long ago. I debated over what to serve with it. When I can’t figure it out myself, I turn to a select two or three cookbooks that always deliver. Out of my ever-growing collection, I can always depend on these few to take me where I want to go. Gourmet Today is one of those books. Always spot on, Gourmet’s editor, Ruth Reichl, says that grilled eggplant with yogurt mint sauce is the perfect side to steak. She is right.
Now, eggplant is not for everyone. Some people think they don’t like it, but this recipe will convert most of them. Grilled over a charcoal fire with a few wood chips thrown in for flavor, the eggplant takes on a nice smoky flavor. Topped with a tangy garlic mint yogurt sauce, it is actually spectacular.
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1-2 Tbsp water
2 medium eggplants (@ 2 lbs. total)
1/2 cup olive oil
1. PREP GRILL AND EGGPLANT: Preheat your grill or make a fire for MEDIUM heat. Wash eggplant and cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Sprinkle with salt and let sit 20 minutes.
2. MAKE SAUCE: Place garlic in a bowl. Mash with the back of a spoon. Add 1/4 tsp salt and mash together to make a paste. Add yogurt and mint and stir to combine. Add enough water to thin it out to a sauce.
The yogurt mint sauce is a simple no-cook cold mixture of fresh mint, Greek yogurt, and garlic
It takes 5 minutes to throw together. Cover and refrigerate while you grill the eggplant
3. GRILL: Brush the grill grate with oil. Brush eggplant with oil. Grill eggplant until grill marks appear and eggplant is tender, about 3-5 minutes per side.
4. SERVE: Serve eggplant with yogurt sauce.
Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,
Waverly
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leah@how to grow tomatoes says: 