Grilled Eggplant Topped with a Chickpea Mash
Tomato Cucumber Onion Relish, Tahini Sauce, Mint Garnish
It’s a side dish, it’s a salad, it’s a vegetarian entree. Throw some steaks on the grill and serve them with this fabulous vegetable-bean dish! That’s the whole menu, right there. Smoky grilled eggplant is the base, topped with a terrific warm chickpea mash, a lively colorful relish, and a creamy sauce. It’s one unfussy yet pretty vegetarian platter bursting with flavor, the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat, chicken, or fish…
Grilled Eggplant with Chickpea Mash Recipe
Grilled Eggplant
Rub sliced eggplant with kosher salt and let sweat on paper towels for an hour, turning once, to remove much of the moisture. Then rinse off the salt, pat dry, and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium high heat. Make sure to slice the eggplant in generous portions so it doesn’t shrivel up on the grill.
Tahini Sauce
- 3 T. tahini
- 3 T. warm water
- 2 T. lime juice
- 2 t. agave nectar
- 1/2 t. ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl to form a smooth creamy sauce.
Chickpea Mash
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- 1/4 red onion, rough chopped
- 1/4 c. panko bread crumbs
- 2 T. tahini sauce
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 t. ground cumin
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/2 t. kosher salt
- 1/4 t. ground red pepper
Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to get a coarse mash. Place in an ovenproof bowl, cover with foil, and warm in a 350° oven.
Tomato Cucumber Onion Relish
- 2 tomatoes, seeded & chopped
- 1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 T. lime juice
- 1 T. olive oil
- salt to taste
Combine all ingredients and let sit about 15 minutes to meld flavors, stir occasionally.
To Assemble
Place grilled eggplant on a platter. Use an ice cream scoop to top the eggplant with a mound of warm chickpea mash. Generously sprinkle the relish over the top. Drizzle with tahini sauce and garnish with mint leaves.
(This recipe was inspired by Baked Falafel-Stuffed Eggplant in Cooking Light magazine June 2012).
Other than the eggplant, this sounds wonderful 🙂
For me it would be a vegetarian entree since I wouldn’t be able to stop.
Wonderful! I would not ‘ruin’ it by adding anything else – just perchance eating more!!
Thanks Eha – it really was a great dish on its own. But I’ve got grilling on my mind, just bought a new BBQ…obsessed maybe.
LL
Lori: cultural differences tho’ we speak the same language! Here Down Under we ‘barbecue’ on the ‘barbecue’ and only grill indoors on a hotplate or under a griller 🙂 ! Don’t use the word ‘griddle’ nor ‘grill’ outdoors! Hmm, have had my issues . . .
Aren’t you clever! This sounds so good and perfect as a side with so many dishes.
Hi Maureen – I think it is appealing in so many ways. For carnivores as a side dish, but really a terrific vegetarian entree, serve with a salad and there’s a meal. Thanks for your comment.
LL
Such a beautiful dish, LL! I adore a dish that can be served with just about anything…and this dish takes it one step further since it can be a veg entree – love!
This looks good, looking for more eggplant recipes since I keep getting so many in the CSA!
Love all the textures and colors, LL!Delicious and elegant dish!
These are such beautiful flavors, and already my mind is going to all kinds of great combinations using fresh stuff from the garden – that chick pea mash really does it for me though!
Hi There Donalyn – Nice to meet you! I see you have a great garden, so hopefully this dish will inspire more creations, please let me know, I am interested to see how you tweak it! Basically grilled eggplant, a bean mash, and a relish – so many possibilities.
LL
You are right…what a wonderful dish to serve with sliced steak on a summer evening.
This looks wonderful. I love eggplants, and this dish is new to me. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Jarome – nice to meet you, thanks for your comment. Start with grilled eggplant, top with some beans and a relish or salsa – and there you go. I think I might try another version – with pinto beans, salsa verde, and Mexican cheese topping. What do you think?
LL
What great flavors to go with the eggplant! And, the stacks are beautiful. I’m looking forward to putting some eggplant on the grill now.
this sounds absolutely wonderful! i’ll be enjoying it as a main course 🙂
Really creative and I love this! I always wonder how I can use those American eggplant (big compared to Asian kind) and here you have an excellent use of the large shape! Colorful and very appetizing!
I made this last night and it was all I hoped for and more. The creamy, grilled eggplant blended perfectly with the heartiness of the chickpea mash and the relish on top was just the right amount of freshness with a mint blast. We’ll be making this again this summer. My visiting girlfriend will take the idea back to her new job cooking at a Maui farm. Thanks for the tasty and easy dish and for your expert instructions and lovely images.
Hi Susan – I am thrilled! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how you liked the dish. So sweet of you. Aloha to your friend…
LL