Balsamic Marinated Grilled Eggplant

Grilled eggplant can be one of the great treats of summer. Lusciously tender eggplant, with bits of crispy charred edges here and there.
Unfortunately, most often grilled eggplant ends up being overcooked (read this a burned) and flavorless or, even worse, undercooked with a gummy-bear like texture.
I mean, how many times have you returned from the BBQ with those stripey bitter shoe-soles trying to decide if they were suitable for human consumption?
I know, few too many...

This explains why there is plenty of disagreement among cooks when it comes to grilling eggplant: how to select the right eggplant, whether to salt or not, marinade or not etc.
Personally I look for firm eggplants with deep colored, shiny unwrinkled skin.
I also think that the power of a marinate guarantees great grilled eggplant: crispy brown on the outside, creamy sweet on the inside, and full of flavor.

This recipe right here is my absolutely favorite way to make grilled eggplant. A super simple marinade made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic that yields great...let me rephrase it...that yields AWESOME results.
I've made this recipe over and over for parties and guests and it's always been a hit.
It’s perfect for any summer holiday get-together.
Every time I make it I always double, triple even quadruple the recipe hoping to have some leftovers, but alas, it never happens.
Maybe eI should try quintuple or sextuple next time...

Balsamic Marinated Grilled Eggplant                                                                                           Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 4 as a side

1 large eggplant
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Thai chili, minced (optional)
Fine grain salt
Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Cut eggplant in half and then slice into ¼-inch thick half moons.
Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and let stand in a colander for about 30 minutes to draw moisture out.
Give the slices a quick rinse to remove most of the salt, pat them dry with paper towels. Set aside.
In a small bowl combine olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, Thai chili (if using), salt, and pepper in a bowl.
Combine eggplant and marinade in a Ziploc bag or a shallow dish. Seal or cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high (if you’re using an outdoor grill lightly oil the grill grates) and Grill eggplant slices for approximately 2 to 3 minutes a side, or until you get good grill marks.
Remove from grill and brush with leftover marinade remaining , sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 169 calories, 14 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of protein.