Best Eggplant Vinaigrette Recipes

EGGPLANT SALAD WITH PEPPERS, MINT AND CAPER-FETA VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Toss eggplant with 1/3 cup vinaigrette, reserving the rest. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool somewhat. (It can be warm but not hot enough to melt feta or wilt mint.)
• Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and mint leaves. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve immediately or within several hours. (It holds up all day.)

GRILLED PORTOBELLO PIZZA WITH GOAT CHEESE AND GREEN SAUCE AND THOUSAND-LAYER EGGPLANT NAPOLEON WITH NO-FAT TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Puree all the ingredients to form a sauce.
• Rub mushrooms with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, rib side down, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn mushrooms and place green sauce over mushrooms. Add sliced goat cheese. Touch with a little more sauce. Close the top to the grill and smoke for 5 minutes more.
• Lightly brush eggplant, zucchini and onions with olive oil and then season with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 minutes on each side. Grill tomato for 3 minutes on each side. While vegetables are hot, using a ceramic mold or bread pan lined with plastic wrap, make a layer of eggplant and then spread with 1-ounce of Jack cheese. Make a layer of red pepper and spread with 1-ounce Jack cheese. Make a layer of zucchini and spread with jack cheese. Make a layer of onion with jack cheese. Make a layer of green peppers and then a layer of goat cheese. Make another layer of eggplant and then another layer of goat cheese. Finally, make a layer of tomato and then a layer of basil. Lightly press, weight and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Turn upside down and release from the mold. Place left over goat cheese on top and garnish with basil.
• Place tomatoes, meat side down, over medium hot grill for 8 minutes. Carefully remove and place in blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

EGGPLANT CAPRESE WITH GRILLED TOMATO AND BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred and tender, turning occasionally and moving to cook evenly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to foil-lined baking sheet. Grill plum tomato until skin is charred and split, turning often, about 5 minutes. Transfer to sheet with eggplant and cool. Core plum tomato; place in blender. Add chopped basil, vinegar, and 1/4 cup oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl. DO AHEAD Eggplant and dressing can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Overlap eggplant slices, cheese slices, and heirloom tomato slices on individual plates or large platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle salad with dressing and garnish with basil sprigs.

GRILLED WHOLE EGGPLANT WITH HARISSA VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal fire in a grill. Let coals cool to medium heat (coals should be covered with ash and glowing red with no black remaining).
• Grill eggplant directly on coals, turning occasionally, until skin is blackened and flesh has collapsed, 15-20 minutes. (Alternatively, grill on the grate of a gas or charcoal grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, 20-25 minutes.) Transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and let cool slightly.
• Carefully remove skin from eggplant, leaving stem intact. Season on all sides with 1/2 tsp. salt. Let sit on rack until excess water is drained, 20-30 minutes.
• Whisk oil, lemon juice, harissa, honey, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl to combine.
• Using a paring knife, make several slits down length of eggplant on each side. Transfer to a plate and pour dressing over. Top with parsley and serve with bread alongside.
• Do Ahead: Eggplant (without parsley) can be dressed 8 hours ahead. Let sit at room temperature up to 4 hours. Chill, if waiting longer, and let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

QUINOA, ROASTED EGGPLANT AND APPLE SALAD WITH CUMIN VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the vinaigrette: Toast the seeds over medium heat in a heavy medium skillet, stirring occasionally, until the seeds darken in color and become fragrant, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Place the seeds on a plate; cool for 1 minute. Grind the seeds finely in a small food mill or grinder.
• Whisk the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and the toasted seeds until thick and blended in a small bowl. Stir in the shallots. Set the vinaigrette aside.
• For the salad: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Mix in the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa stand, covered, 5 to 10 minutes. Cool and fluff with a fork.
• Meanwhile, spray a large rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Toss the eggplant with 3 tablespoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper on the sheet. Roast until tender and browned, stirring once, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl; fluff with a fork. Add the vinaigrette, eggplant, apples, walnuts and cranberries. Toss to blend.
• Cover the bottom of a shallow platter with the watercress. Spoon the salad on top and serve.

GRILLED JAPANESE EGGPLANT WITH AN ASIAN VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Wash eggplants and pat dry with paper towels, set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the Chinese 5-spice powder, onion powder, garlic salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
• Slice the eggplants in half lengthwise, brush with olive oil and rub the mixed spices on both sides.
• Grill over low heat for about 5 minutes on each side, or until tender.
• Arrange cabbage on serving plates and top with grilled eggplant; drizzle with the asian vinaigrette.
• Top with the fresh mint, feta, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
• Asian Vinaigrette:.
• In a blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the vegetable and sesame oils. With the blender/processor running, slowly pour in the vegetalbe oil followed by the sesame oil. Process for 10 to 15 seconds longer. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (If necessary, whisk before serving.).
• COOK'S TIP: Leftover vinaigrette makes for a tasty salad dressing or marinade for fish.

GRILLED SWORDFISH AND EGGPLANT SALAD WITH HONEY-THYME VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Whisk together the vinegar, honey, mustard, chopped thyme and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high for direct grilling. Brush the eggplant, poblanos and bell pepper with canola oil, scatter over some of the whole thyme leave sand season with salt and pepper. Grill the poblanos and bell pepper until charred all over and somewhat tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the grill to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam. Continue to grill the eggplant until charred on both sides and tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Brush the swordfish on all sides with canola oil, scatter the remaining whole thyme leaves on both sides and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish until charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness.
• Peel, seed and dice the poblanos and bell pepper and transfer to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the watercress. Pour some of the dressing around the sides of the bowl, and toss to dress the vegetables.
• Put the fish on a large platter. Drizzle over the remaining dressing and top with the salad. Serve.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC-CUMIN VINAIGRETTE, FETA & HERBS

Steps:

• Make the vinaigrette:.
• With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and a pinch of salt to a paste.
• Combine the garlic paste and 1 tbs of the lemon juice in a bowl and let sit for 10 minute.
• Combine the shallot with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt in another small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Whisk the olive oil, cumin, and cayenne into the garlic mixture. Season to taste with salt or cayenne, if necessary.
• Grill the eggplant:.
• Prepare a medium-high charcoal or gas grill fire.
• Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt.
• Grill (covered on a gas grill; uncovered on a charcoal grill), 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn the eggplant and grill until tender and well marked on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes more.The interior should be grayish and soft rather than white and hard.
• Top grilled eggplant slices with the shallots, feta, and herbs. Whisk the vinaigrette and drizzle it on top. Serve immediately.

EGGPLANT AND PORTOBELLO (LASAGNAS) WITH ROASTED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange tomatoes and fennel in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Drizzle oil over; toss to blend. Bake until fennel is tender and begins to brown, about 45 minutes. Cool.
• Spray 2 nonstick baking sheets with vegetable oil spray. Arrange eggplant and mushroom slices on prepared sheets. Bake until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes for eggplant slices and 40 minutes for mushrooms. Puree tomato mixture in processor. Transfer to strainer set over bowl. Press on solids to extract liquid; discard solids. Stir vinegar into liquid. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
• Stir spinach in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray four 1 1/4-cup custard dishes with vegetable oil spray. Line each dish with 2 eggplant slices in crisscross pattern. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each with 1/4 of spinach. Top each with 1 mozzarella slice. Arrange pepper strips over, then basil and mushrooms. Top with remaining eggplant slices, cutting to fit. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover each dish with foil. (Vinaigrette and lasagnas can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.)
• Bake lasagnas until very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove foil. Using small knife, cut around vegetables to loosen. Invert onto plates. Spoon vinaigrette over.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH MINT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer on 2 baking sheets and sprinkle both sides with salt. Set aside about 30 minutes, or until moisture beads on top of the eggplant.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Rinse the eggplant to remove the excess salt and pat dry. Brush the eggplant slices with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, coating both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the eggplant about 5 minutes per side, or until char marks form and the eggplant is very tender. Transfer to a platter as you finish each batch.
• Meanwhile, grate the zest of the lemon into a small bowl. Halve the lemon and squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice into the bowl. Whisk in the vinegar, shallots, chopped mint and the remaining 5 tablespoons oil. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the vinaigrette over the grilled eggplant and sprinkle with the mint leaves. Using a vegetable peeler, shave thin slices of feta cheese over the eggplant. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

EGGPLANT, SQUASH AND TOMATO WITH ROASTED GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Place unpeeled garlic cloves in small baking dish. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast garlic until very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool. Peel garlic and mince. Transfer to small bowl. Mix in balsamic vinegar. Gradually mix in 1/3 cup olive oil. Set dressing aside.
• Preheat broiler. Arrange eggplant slices in single layer on broiler pan. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes per side. Arrange squash slices in single layer on broiler pan. Brush tops of squash with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil until tops begin to brown, about 4 minutes.
• Alternate eggplant and squash slices around edge of serving platter, overlapping slightly. Arrange tomato slices in center of platter. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over salad. (Salad can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Sprinkle salad with chopped fresh basil and serve.

BROILED EGGPLANT WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• Halve eggplants lengthwise. Brush cut sides with 1/4 cup oil and season with salt. Arrange as many eggplants, cut sides up, as will fit in 1 layer on rack of a broiler pan and broil 2 to 3 inches from heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Turn oven setting to 450°F. and move pan to middle of oven. Roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes. Repeat with remaining eggplants.
• Blend remaining 1 1/2 cups oil and remaining ingredients in a blender until emulsified.
• Serve eggplants at room temperature, drizzled with vinaigrette.
• To make 6 servings: Follow the directions above using the following ingredient amounts:
• 6 small (4-oz.) eggplants
• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

EGGPLANT CAPRESE WITH GRILLED TOMATO AND BASIL VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• On the Grill:
• Prepare barbeque on medium heat. Arrange eggplant slices on baking sheet. Brush both sides with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until slightly charred and tender, turning occasionally and moving to cook evenly, about 5 minutes. Transfer to foil-lined baking sheet. Grill plum tomato until skin is charred and split, turning often, about 5 minutes. Transfer to sheet with eggplant and cool.
• For the Dish:
• Core plum tomato; place in blender. Add chopped basil, vinegar, and ¼ cup oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to small bowl.
• Overlap eggplant slices, cheese slices, and heirloom tomato slices on individual plates or large platter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle salad with dressing and garnish with basil sprigs.

EGGPLANT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Rinse eggplants, and remove the stems. Place in a large pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cut a slit lengthwise down the center of each eggplant, and pack full of the garlic mixture. Place the eggplants in a glass jar, or glass baking dish. Whisk together the oil and vinegar, and pour over the egg plants to cover. Refrigerate for 2 days before slicing and serving.

EGGPLANT SALAD WITH PEPPERS, MINT AND CAPER-FETA VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. 2. Toss eggplant with 1/3 cup vinaigrette, reserving the rest. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden around edges, about 30 minutes. Let eggplant cool somewhat. (It can be warm but not hot enough to melt feta or wilt mint.) 3. Whisk feta, garlic and capers into reserved vinaigrette. In a large bowl, combine eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and mint leaves. Toss with vinaigrette, and serve immediately or within several hours. (It holds up all day.)

GRILLED EGGPLANT W/GARLIC-CUMIN VINAIGRETTE (SAMMIE?)

Steps:

• 1. Pre Heat grill to medium-high and prepare
• 2. put garlic, salt, lemon juice, balsamic and shallots into food processer and pulse until all are well combined, let stand 10 minutes
• 3. After 10 minutes put mixture in a bowl, stir in cumin, cayenne and spike then whisk in EVOO
• 4. brush on both sides of eggplant grill 5-8 minutes on each side (mine took about 15 minutes total)
• 5. arrange on a plate OR place eggplant on a crusty roll drizzle with vinaigrette and top with feta and herbs.