Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant Parmesan is one of those Italian-American classics that is timeless. You can find it on many menus of Italian restaurants here in the States. The one problem that I have with the traditional Eggplant Parmesan is that you taste more of the fried bits than the actual eggplant. To lighten up the traditional Eggplant Parmesan I grilled my sliced eggplant as opposed to battering and frying. I then made a simple and fresh tomato sauce. This is a great way of using produce from trips to your local farmer's market. Serve with a side salad, and some pasta if you wish.

Ingredients:
one medium eggplant
one large tomato
half an onion
5 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
salt
freshly ground black pepper
one tablespoon of unsalted butter
slices of fresh mozzarella cheese
two cup of water for soaking the slices of eggplant
extra virgin olive oil

Method:
To prepare the eggplant wash it under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Peel the eggplant in a way leaving a space each time you peel. Then slice the eggplant. Place the sliced eggplant into a bowl of salted water for about 20-30 minutes. Preheat your grill or grill pan to a medium to medium high heat. Coat your grill grates or grill pan with canola oil. This will prevent the eggplant from sticking. Grill the eggplant slices for 5 minutes per side. When the eggplant has been grilled set aside in an ovenproof casserole dish.

For the tomato sauce grate the tomato using the cheddar cheese side of your grater. Throw away the leftover tomato skin from grating. Mince half an onion and set aside. It does not matter if you use a red, yellow, or white onion. I had a red onion on hand so that is what I used. Mince 5 cloves of garlic and set aside as well. In a small sauce pan melt a tablespoon of unsalted butter along with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. When the butter has melted add the minced onion to pan. Cook the onions until they begin to soften. This is where you should add some salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the minced garlic. Cook for about a minute. Next add the dried mint, basil, and parsley. Cook for another minute before adding the grated tomato. Bring the mixture to the boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cook while covered for about 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

The grilled eggplant slices should be in a single layer in the casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the eggplant making sure all of the slices are fully covered. Top each slice of eggplant with a slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. Place the casserole under your broiler until the cheese has melted and is slightly brown.