Grilled Japanese Eggplant With An Asian Vinaigrette Recipes

GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a large shallow baking dish. Mix together the soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour the marinade over the eggplant and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat grill. Season the eggplant with salt and pepper to taste and grill on each side for 3 minutes, basting occasionally with the remaining marinade. Serve topped with the toasted sesame seeds.

GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH AN ASIAN VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Wash eggplants and pat dry with paper towels, set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the Chinese 5-spice powder, onion powder, garlic salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
• Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, brush with olive oil and rub the mixed spices on both sides.
• Grill over low heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until tender.
• Arrange cabbage on serving plates and top with grilled eggplant; drizzle with the asian vinaigrette.
• Top with the fresh mint, feta, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
• Asian Vinaigrette:.
• In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the vegetable and sesame oils. With the blender/processor running, slowly pour in the vegetalbe oil followed by the sesame oil. Process for 10 to 15 seconds longer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (If necessary, whisk before serving.).
• COOK'S TIP: Leftover vinaigrette makes for a tasty salad dressing or marinade for fish.

MISO GLAZED GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat a charcoal grill for direct grilling over high heat or you can use the broiler, on high.
• Whisk together the miso, sake, sugar and 2 tablespoons water until combined.
• Brush the cut-side of the eggplant with the oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the eggplant, cut-side down, until lightly golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the eggplant over, brush with some of the glaze and continue grilling for 2 more minutes. Brush with more glaze, flip over and grill until the cut-side is caramelized, about 4 minutes.
• Remove to a platter, cut-side up, and sprinkle with mint.

NASU DENGAKU (GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH MISO PASTE)

Steps:

• For the sauce, whisk the dashi, sugar, mirin, miso and corn starch together. Heat over medium heat stirring until the sauce thickens. Take it off the heat and add the yuzu whisking it in to the sauce.
• For the eggplant, slice them in half lengthwise and score a criss-cross pattern into them to help retain the sauce. Brush with oil and grill on a BBQ or under a broiler until the tops are a dark brown and the eggplant is cooked. Give the sliced sides a good coating of sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds then put under a broiler to get a little caramelization (be careful, this sauce will burn quickly).
• Serve immediately with some rice.

WHOLE GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH LEMON AND SOY SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together the soy sauce, lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl to make the dressing; set aside. Score the stem end of each eggplant, making a circular cut in the skin (this will make the eggplant easier to peel). Poke a few holes into the eggplants with a skewer or fork to allow steam to escape as they grill.
• Preheat a grill to medium. Grill for about 8 minutes, turning the eggplants a quarter turn every 2 minutes. Try to grill the eggplant all around. Test the eggplants for doneness by pressing against their sides with a pair of tongs. If the eggplants give easily, they're ready. Transfer the eggplants to a plate.
• As soon as the eggplants are cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the skin (the skin comes off more easily if the eggplant is warm; don't let it cool completely). Once you've removed the skin, remove the stems, and slice each eggplant into 4 pieces, cutting on an angle. Transfer the eggplant slices to a platter. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with the bonito, and serve.

JAPANESE GRILLED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) (YAKI NASU)

Steps:

• Bring seasoning ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan and let cool.
• Bring sauce to a boil in a small saucepan and let cool.
• Grill eggplants whole on a wire rack on grill until they are soft and feel tender.
• Test with your finger or a toothpick to see how soft it is.
• Place in cold water to cool; then peel and pat dry.
• Put eggplant in seasoning liquid; allow to sit for at least 10 minutes.
• Remove eggplant and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Place eggplant into serving dish; top with some sauce and a few bonito flakes; serve at room temperature or chilled.