TasteFood: Add a little bling to grilled eggplant

Eggplant on the grill is a summer favorite. A brush of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and the fire of the grill are all that’s needed to transform firm, spongy eggplant wedges and planks into crispy-squidgy versions of themselves. But why stop there?

Take it up a notch with a recipe inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi, the Israel-born British chef and cookbook author. In his recipe, he roasts wedges of eggplant doused in a chermoula-infused oil heady with North African spice, and then tops it with an herby bulgur salad and creamy yogurt for a beautiful and substantial vegetarian dish.

The recipe below is a lighter, simplified adaptation. It focuses exclusively on the eggplant and garnishes it with an herbaceous gremolata studded with bits of preserved lemon. It’s bright and fresh, a lovely side dish that can be served warm or at room temperature.

Ideally, choose long, narrow eggplants and cut them into narrow wedges. Alternatively, cut thick slices lengthwise from globe eggplants. Score the flesh of the eggplant with crisscross incisions. This is an important step in the cooking process, as it allows the spiced oil to infuse the flesh while providing lots of edges and ridges to char and crisp while cooking. Grill the slices over indirect heat (or roast in the oven) slowly to allow them to cook until they are meltingly soft and buttery.

Eggplant Chermoula

Serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a press

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 long, narrow eggplants (or 2 large globe eggplants)

Kosher salt

Aleppo pepper flakes

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoons finely diced preserved lemon (or 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest)

1 small red chile pepper, such jalapeno or Fresno, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Combine the oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika and black pepper in a bowl.

Cut off the stems of the eggplant. Cut the eggplant lengthwise in 4 to 6 wedges (or slice the globe eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick planks).

Score the wedges or slices on the diagonal with crisscross incisions, cutting through the flesh without piercing the other side. Liberally brush the cut sides of the eggplant and in the crevices with the seasoned oil mixture. Evenly season with salt and a sprinkling of Aleppo flakes.

Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium-high heat (or heat the oven to 400 degrees).

Arrange the wedges on the grill over indirect medium-high heat. Cook, basting occasionally with the remaining oil, until the eggplant wedges are soft, squidgy and charred in spots, about 30 minutes (or arrange in one layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment and roast in the oven, basting occasionally).

Arrange the eggplant on a serving platter. Sprinkle the parsley, mint and lemon on top and garnish with the chiles. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.