Grilled Eggplant Mozzarella Stacks with Pesto and Tomatoes

• Vegetarian
• Gluten free

• Produce

  • 8 oz 2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 3 1/2 leaves oz 2 cups packed basil, packed
  • 2 Eggplants, small
  • 3 clove Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Herbs like thyme, fresh

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/4 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tsp Sea salt

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 7 tbsp Olive oil

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1/4 cup Pine nuts, toasted

• Dairy

  • 1 8 ounce ball Mozzarella, fresh
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan

Found on getinspiredeveryday.com

Description

Ingredients

• 2 small eggplants, 2 pounds total weight
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage or 1 Teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• ½ Teaspoon sea salt
• 1 - 8 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 8 ounces
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ Teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan
• ¼ - ⅓ cup olive oil
• 2 cups packed basil leaves, 3½ ounces

Directions

• Preheat a grill over high heat for about 10 minutes, or until it reaches 450ºF.
• While the grill heats, cut the ends off the eggplants, and slice them into ½ slices. Mix together the olive oil, garlic, chopped herbs, and sea salt. Lightly brush both sides of the eggplant with the garlic herb olive oil.
• Slice the mozzarella into ¼ rounds, and then cut each slice in half. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters if theyre large, before setting them aside.
• Place the eggplant on the grill and immediately lower the heat to medium high, maintaining a temperature of around 400ºF. Grill for 4-6 minutes per side, or until the eggplant slices are completely tender with nicely browned grill marks.
• When the eggplant is tender, remove it from the grill and layer it together with the sliced mozzarella in a 9 cast iron pan. Place the pan back on the grill and grill for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is molten and browning on the edges.
• While the eggplant is finishing on the grill, make the pesto by placing all the pesto ingredients into a blender in the order listed. Start with ¼ cup olive oil and add a bit more if needed while blending. Blend starting on low, and using the tamper keep lightly pressing the basil downwards, increasing the speed as you go. Keep blending until a chunky pesto forms. Remove the pesto from the blender, and place half of it into a sealed container with the least amount of air space possible. This recipe makes 2 cups, so I use 1 cup for the eggplant, and place the remaining 1 cup into a 1 cup/8 ounce mason jar with a lid. A brown layer will form on the remaining pesto which is due to oxidization, just scrape it off and use the bright green pesto underneath within 2-3 days.
• When the eggplant and cheese have finished cooking, serve it immediately with the halved cherry tomatoes and the fresh pesto.