Cheesy Grilled Baby Eggplant Halves

Eggplant has a reputation for soaking up oil like a sponge, and that is exactly why grilling it works so well. Over direct heat the cut sides char and turn silky inside, so you get plenty of flavor without needing a heavy pan of oil. Baby eggplants are a good choice here because they are small, tender, and cook through in the time it takes to melt a little cheese. They also have fewer seeds and a thinner skin than the big globe ones, which means less bitterness and no need to salt and sweat them first.

The eggplant itself is a member of the nightshade family, the same group as tomatoes and peppers. It grew for centuries across Asia before it reached the Mediterranean, and that long history shows up in how many cuisines have a version of it. Grilling it simply, with garlic powder and black pepper, lets the vegetable taste like itself. Keep the heat medium-high and resist the urge to move the halves around too early. Let them sit until the cut side has color before you flip.

A few things I have learned from making this more than once. Brush the olive oil on the eggplant rather than the grill grates, since the flesh needs the fat more than the metal does. If your halves are very large, give them an extra minute on the skin side before you add cheese. And put the balsamic on at the very end, off the heat. It tastes sharper and brighter that way, and a little goes a long way.

These are lovely as a side next to a simple grilled protein. If you want something more filling, Balsamic Turkey Meatball Skewers make a natural partner, since the sweet vinegar ties the two plates together. For a lighter lunch, a bowl of Chicken, Pumpkin and Rice Soup alongside the eggplant is a comforting pairing. Leftover halves keep in the fridge for a day or two and reheat well in a dry pan, though the cheese will firm up, so I like to chop them over a green salad instead.