Grilled Eggplant with Spicy Garlic Sauce

Whether you’re trying to eat healthier, looking for a vegetarian dish, or just weren’t able to get your hands on meat for this weekend’s cookout, this grilled eggplant recipe is a great alternative to the usual BBQ fare. The spicy garlic sauce adds another dimension of flavor to the grilled eggplant, making this a perfect dish for grillers willing to try something new.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat your grill to high heat.
2. While your grill is preheating, peel the garlic cloves and make them into a paste for your sauce using a mortar and pestle, or a knife. If you use a knife, start by mincing the garlic and adding a pinch of kosher salt. The salt provides friction that helps the garlic break down into a paste. Use the side of the knife blade to smash and spread the minced garlic, then scrape it into a pile and repeat the process until the garlic takes on the consistency of a paste.
3. Get the sauce together by combining the garlic paste, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly, then set aside.
4. Cut the eggplant(s) into round slices about 1 inch thick. Brush each side with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
5. Grill until each side is golden brown and almost charred, about 3 minutes per side.
6. Remove the slices from the grill, then top them with a few spoonfuls of the spicy garlic sauce and a few pinches of chopped mint. Serve with your favorite sides, and enjoy!