Saturday, April 5, 2014

Grilled Eggplant Naan Wraps with Tahini-Yogurt Dressing


You don't have to pull out the grill just to cook the eggplant and tomatoes for this wonderful wrap recipe from Sunset. I use my oven broiler as an alternative to grilling the veggies. I like to soak my eggplant with salt for 30 minutes to reduce the bitter taste and to reduce the amount of oil it absorbs. After slicing the eggplant into rounds, I place them in a colander and sprinkle with salt and soak for 30 minutes or even 1 hour. Afterward, I rinse the eggplant rounds and then press with a paper or kitchen towel to remove the liquid. Salting eggplant is a great way to draw out the bitterness of especially older eggplants. Older eggplants have bigger seeds and those seeds contain the bitter liquid. If you are using young eggplants, then you do not need to salt the eggplant. Salting eggplant also draws out the moisture so it wouldn't absorbs too much oil.

To cook eggplant and tomatoes using oven broiler, line eggplant slices and tomato wedges on grill tray and brush with olive oil. Cook eggplant about 5 minutes per side. 

To roast eggplant and tomatoes, heat oven to 400°F. Brush veggies with olive oil and and line tray with parchment paper. Roast eggplant for the first 30 minutes and then add the tomatoes for the remaining 30 minutes. Roasting eggplant caramelizes the bottom of the eggplant and gives it a more flavorful taste. 

Tip: Since the heat varies from oven to oven, it's best to check your eggplant during the last 10-15 minutes of roasting time to make sure the bottom side of the eggplant slices aren't burned. 


Ingredients:


  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
  • 1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
  • 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt 
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
  • large eggplant (1 lb.), sliced into 1/2-in. rounds
  • ripe tomatoes, quartered 
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • pieces naan bread
  • 6 cups baby spinach 

Preparation

  1. 1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). In a small bowl, mix garlic, lemon juice, tahini, yogurt, and salt. Set aside.
  2. 2. Brush eggplant and tomatoes with oil. Grill, turning often, until softened and grill marks appear, about 6 minutes. Cut tomato wedges in half. Warm naan on grill.
  3. 3. Lay each naan on a plate and top with 1 1/2 cups spinach, a few slices eggplant, 4 tomato pieces, and a large spoonful of reserved yogurt mixture.


Recipe by Sunset

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