There have been too many recipes on my mind lately that I almost forgot I promised you this wouldn’t be the last eggplant recipe I post this summer.
Luckily some beautiful eggplants in the market reminded me, and I sprang right into the action for fear that I would forget again. Eggplants lend themselves well to the stuffing so I decided to stuff them once more.
But this recipe is quite different; the eggplants are sliced, grilled, and filled with a creamy mixture of goat cheese, roasted red bell peppers, and walnuts.
It also happens to taste more summery or perhaps simply more appetizer-like, but it can be made more substantial if served with fresh crusty bread.
EGGPLANT ROLLS RECIPE
Yield: 10 To 12 Rolls
Prep Time: 30 MIN
Cook Time: 10 MIN
You can use roasted red bell pepper from a jar or do the roasting yourself. If you do it at home, check this recipe for how to roast bell peppers.
Ingredients:
- 1 large eggplant
- Olive oil for brushing
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 5 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temp.
- 1 small garlic clove, pressed
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, minced
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
- Minced basil and finely chopped walnuts, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Step 1: Cut off both ends of the eggplant and slice it thinly lengthwise. You should be able to obtain 10 to 12 slices, about 1/8-inch thick.
Step 2: Brush the eggplant slices generously with olive oil on both sides. (Don’t skimp on oil or they won’t cook through.) Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Step 3: Heat a griddle pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Grill the eggplant slices until charred, 3 to 5 minutes per side. (I used a Panini press. It did the job nicely and cooked both sides at the same time.) Set aside to cool a bit.
Step 4: Combine the goat cheese, garlic, roasted pepper, and walnuts in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if you wish, and mix with a spoon.
Step 5: To fill the eggplant slices, place about a tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture on the wider end of the eggplant and roll.
Step 6: Garnish with minced basil and finely chopped walnuts, if you wish. Serve at room temperature with crusty bread.
