When you have slices of grilled eggplant and grilled halloumi cheese with fresh herbs infused in an amazing olive oil, it’s a winning dish!! You will be wiping your plate clean! Serve with grilled vine cherry tomatoes, homemade tzatziki and pita bread.
Oh my goodness, the combination of flavours and textures in the dish is incredible! I wasn’t a fan of eggplant, but after making this dish and sitting down eating it, I was so happy I did. It’s a simple recipe with few ingredients but what makes the difference is the quality of ingredients. You want a meal to enjoy from start to finish and this dish I was wiping clean with my pita bread.
I was skeptical when it came to cooking with eggplant. Since I was raised in a Hungarian home with Eastern European flavours, one would think I wouldn’t like a meal like this. But I have always been open to trying new foods regardless of the culture and since I have travelled quite a bit, I have been privilege to experience many ethnic foods.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COOKING WITH EGGPLANTS
There is misconceptions when it comes to cooking with eggplant. It’s not as difficult as it may seem and when cooked properly it is tender, tasty and can be a hearty meal. It tends to take on the flavours it is cooked or served with.
It’s a good idea to add salt to the eggplant once it’s cut to help eliminate any bitterness that can come from using older eggplants or storing it too long. Salt will enhance the flavour of the eggplant as well. It also helps the eggplant to sweat and release the bitterness and results in a soft and velvety texture. I would suggest to add the salt once the eggplant is cut into slices for about 20-30 minutes. Then remove the salt.
Whether you grill, bake, roast or pan-sear sliced eggplant, leave the skin on as be helpful to avoid falling apart. I would recommend to drizzle the grilled eggplant with extra virgin olive oil once it’s off the grill to keep it moist.
IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
You will hear me say often that I recommend using good quality ingredients. In this recipe, I used a good quality extra virgin olive oil and a sea salt both from the Mediterranean countries. It will make a huge difference in the flavour of this dish or any dish for that matter. Whether you already have one at home you use, that’s great! If not, the countries of Greece, Spain and Italy make the best extra virgin olive oil and it all has to do with there climate and natural organic practices. They are rich, with depth of flavour and taste incredible!!
WHEN MAKING THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE
First you will need to infuse the olive oil since it needs to sit for couple of hours with the fresh herbs. Start by heating olive oil in a small sauce pot, and when you see the small bubbles forming on the bottom. Then remove from the stove and add the washed and dried herbs, I used oregano, rosemary and basil. Allow to cool for 2 hours, then remove the herbs and pour the infused olive oil in a glass container with a sealed lid and place in the refrigerator.
Then slice eggplant 1/2 inch thickness and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towel. Season with salt on both sides. Rest for 20-30 minutes. Then remove the salt.
Preheat the grill to medium heat and spray with oil. Coat vine cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of sliced eggplant with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill. Cook each side for 4-5 minutes, until the eggplant is tender with charred markings and the tomatoes are bursting. Remove from grill.
Arrange your plate with the eggplant, halloumi cheese, and cherry tomatoes, then garnish with parsley and dill. I added sliced mini cucumber and add any other vegetable of your choice. Drizzle some of the infused olive oil over the plate. Serve as an appetizer or side dish. Enjoy!
This dish was served with homemade tzatziki sauce and homemade pita bread. Both of these recipes are on my blog if you chose to accompany them with this dish. As I mentioned above, I used the pita bread to wipe every bit of olive oil from my dish! So yummy!
Once the olive oil is infused with the fresh herbs, allow it to sit and cool slightly. Once the eggplant slices and vine cherry tomatoes are grilled, then you are ready to assemble and serve this dish. It is one of my favourite dishes and you will agree once you taste it! Enjoy and I would love to hear your thoughts. 🙂
Note: if you decide to make this dish without the herb infused olive oil, then I would recommend drizzling with a good quality extra virgin olive oil to really embrace the delicious flavours from this dish.
Enjoy this delicious dish as an appetizer or meze, snack or your first dish at a dinner party, it will sure impress your guests. This combination of flavours from the fresh herbs and infused evoo beautifully come together and makes it perfect Mediterranean recipe!
You can find my tzatziki sauce recipe and homemade pita bread here. I would love to here you comments and thoughts once you make this dish.
Grilled Eggplant and Halloumi with Herb Infused Olive Oil
Equipment
- Indoor or Outdoor Grill
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- small sprigs of rosemary, oregano and/or basil
- 1 small eggplant
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 vine cherry tomatoes
- 4 oz halloumi cheese, sliced
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
- homemade pita bread
- tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- Herb Infused Olive Oil: In a small sauce pot, heat olive oil until you see the small bubbles forming on the bottom. Then remove from the stove and add the herbs, oregano, rosemary and basil. Allow to cool for 2 hours, then remove the herbs and pour the infused olive oil in a glass container with a sealed lid and place in the refrigerator.
- Slice eggplant 1/2 inch thickness. Place sliced eggplant on baking sheet lined with paper towel and sprinkle each side with salt. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Brush off the salt.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat and spray with oil. Coat vine cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of sliced eggplant with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on hot grill. Cook each side for 4-5 minutes, until the eggplant is tender with charred markings and the tomatoes are bursting. Remove from grill.
- Assemble your plate with the eggplant, halloumi cheese, cherry tomatoes, parsley and dill. Drizzle some of the infused olive oil over the plate. Serve as an appetizer or side dish.
