Beef Burger With Grilled Eggplant Aubergine Salad Greens Recipes

BEEF BURGER WITH GRILLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) & SALAD GREENS

Steps:

• Combine the yoghurt and hummus in a small bowl.
• Cut the eggplant (aubergine) into 6 slices lengthways; discard the 2 skin-side pieces (or put in your freezer bag of vegetable peelings etc. for using to make vegetable stock (see note above).
• Preheat the grill or barbecue.
• Combine the beef, garlic, tomato paste (or dried Australian Bush Tomato), onion, chilli, basil, breadcrumbs and egg in a large bowl; shape the mixture into 4 patties; cook the patties and eggplant, in batches, on the heated oiled flat grill or barbecue until browned on both sides and cooked through.
• Halve the bread pieces (or rolls) horizontally; toast, cut-sides up; spread the cut-sides with the yoghurt mixture; sandwich the eggplant, patties and salad greens between the toasted pieces of bread or roll.

AUBERGINE SALAD

Steps:

• Soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water 15-30 minutes until they soften, then drain and dice; set aside until needed.
• Heat oil in a large skillet; add eggplant, red pepper, and onion along with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and garlic.
• Cook mixture, stirring occasionally, over medium heat, for 8-9 minutes or until lightly tender, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, mix together chopped olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, chopped parsley, toasted almonds, lemon juice, and mint (if using).
• Mix in cooled eggplant mixture, tossing lightly (add extra-virgin olive oil, salt, or fresh lemon juice if desired to adjust consistency to your taste).
• Serve salad warm or chilled with fresh pita bread, or alone as a salad or first course.

CHARRED-EGGPLANT AND BEEF BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Char eggplant, turning often, until cooked through and soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut eggplant in half, and scrape flesh into a fine sieve set over a bowl; discard skin. Let stand for 2 hours to drain. Coarsely chop eggplant.
• Stir 1/2 cup eggplant into beef; reserve remainder for another use. Divide mixture into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a 3 1/2-inch patty (about 3/4 inch thick).
• Reheat grill to high. Grill buns, cut sides down. Brush both sides of burgers with oil, and season with salt. Grill until charred, about 4 minutes per side for medium (3 minutes per side if using a grill pan).
• Meanwhile, mix together ketchup, pickles, yogurt, and mustard. Spread some sauce onto each bun half. Top bottom buns with lettuce, tomato, then burgers. Shave cheese onto burgers using a Microplane zester. Sandwich with remaining bun halves.

BIG FAT GREEK EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SALAD

Steps:

• Roast the eggplant over a gas grill for 25 minutes at 450 degrees.
• Place in a colander and allow it to cool. Puree the scallions, parsley, garlic and oregano in a food processor.
• In a separate bowl, combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, some capers, tomato, chopped parsley and the herb mixture.
• Next peel away the skin of the eggplant revealing charred flesh on the inside; leave the seeds; in a lot of recipes they're called "the poor man's caviar.".
• Roughly cut up the eggplant, and combine it with the remaining ingredients.
• Lastly, add salt, pepper, lemon to taste. Serve the eggplant salad (hot or cold) on grilled bread.