Grilled Eggplant with Ricotta & Tomatoes


I've been playing along with noreEATS, I promise I have but between work and life I've been a very delinquent poster.  For that I apologize.  I had a delicious BLT salad last week that I still may back post on this past weekend that I totally missed.  It was that good and that easy.

As has been the case since I went back to work, I am truly struggling with making dinner on a nightly basis.  And making sure something is different and somewhat worthy to share.  The job of keeping someone else's life in order does suck alot out of you.  Some nights I get home and even if I have something easy planned or leftovers or even if the Boy suggests going out I just don't have it in me.  I think I had been out of it for just long enough to forget that feeling.  I'm not going to lie I long for the days when I could make whatever my heart fancied for dinner.


Wow, I think this is the second or third post I've written about the struggle of working and putting dinner on the table.  Sorry that my posting days have become some much about venting, but that's all part of the "keeping it real" that we went into this with.  But I'm pushing through and trying to cook a bit more and absolutely trying to be better about my posts.

There was no way I wasn't going to share this recipe because it's super easy and delicious, the Boy a self-proclaimed hater of eggplant really liked it, but all of the herbs and veggies came right from my backyard.  How's that for local eating??

Seriously though, make this for dinner one night.  You won't miss the meat and paired with a salad it's a pretty ideal end of summer dinner.

Grilled Eggplant with Ricotta & Tomatoes
serves 3

1 medium eggplant - sliced into 3/4" rounds
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
2-3 Tbsps balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes
6-8 basil leaves - chiffonade
2-3 mint leaves - chiffonade
1 cup ricotta
sea salt & black pepper

1.  Heat the grill over medium heat.  Whisk together oil, vinegar, honey and a healthy amount of salt & pepper.  Dunk the eggplant rounds in the oil mixture, coating all sides.  Place the rounds on the heated grill.
2.  Toss the tomatoes with a couple Tbsps of the leftover oil mixture, the basil & mint leaves.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
3.  Turn the eggplant after 5 minutes, or when there are nice grill marks.
4.  Mix the ricotta with sea salt & black pepper to taste.
5.  Pull the eggplant off the grill and arrange on 2-3 plates depending on how many you are serving.  I arranged three slices slightly overlapping in a circle. Dollop with ricotta and top with the tomato mixture.    Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and fresh black pepper and serve

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