Grilled Eggplant Burgers

Total Time: 27 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 16 1/4-inch rounds
• 8 slices provolone cheese (thin slices) or 8 slices gouda cheese (thin slices) or 8 slices other cheese (thin slices)
• 2 thinly-sliced tomatoes or 4 large roasted red peppers
• 8 -16 leaves fresh basil
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons wine vinegar or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon-style mustard
• sea salt
• freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Recipe

• 1 whisk all seasoning oil ingredients in a small bowl.
• 2 brush eggplant slices with seasoning oil and place over medium-high heat on grill. close lid and cook until tender, turning and brushing with remaining seasoning oil, about 5 to 10 minutes. remove from grill. (you may also cook eggplant under the broiler, or saute them in a pan until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes per side.).
• 3 place a slice of cheese on 1 eggplant slice, then top with another eggplant slice. top this with 2 tomato slices or a piece of roasted red pepper, then put 2 to 4 basil leaves on top of that. top with third eggplant slice, then another slice of cheese. top with a fourth eggplant slice. finish with a grind of pepper.
• 4 repeat process to make 4 stacks. place stacks on grill, close lid, and cook for about 2 minutes, turning once.
• 5 serve immediately, or make into sandwiches on crusty rolls or bread. these sandwiches may be served warm or wrapped tightly and chilled several hours or overnight.
• 6 (i had mine open faced on ciabatta bread).