Grilled Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Stacks

Some nights we enjoy having meatless dishes and this vegetarian recipe leaves you feeling very satiated.  Eggplant features of host of vitamins and minerals and in the skin of the eggplant is a phytonutrient called nasunun.  Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage.  Fresh mozzarella is traditionally produced from the milk of the domestic water buffalo.  You can also find fresh mozzarella made from cows milk.   Buffalo mozzarella is made into a ball surrounded by brine and when broken apart, it produces a white watery fluid with the aroma of milk enzymes.  It’s rich in calcium, high in protein and is easily digested.

Serves 4 (as an appetizer)
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2 large eggplants (about 400g each)
1 large ball of fresh mozzarella, drained and sliced
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, minced
sprig of rosemary, chopped
about 2 cups of good quality tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 180c (350f). Cut eggplant into thick slices and grill both sides. In a bowl, combine lemon zest, parsley, garlic and rosemary. To make the stacks, place a slice of eggplant on a baking tray, followed by a slice of mozzarella and topped with the herb mix. Do this twice more ending with the herb mix. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. To plate up, place a spoonful of tomato sauce on the plate and place the eggplant stack on top. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

The Culinary Chase’s Note
: Choose eggplants with a uniform diameter so the slices will be similar in size. When making the stack, place the largest eggplant slice on the bottom followed by one of similar size and top with a slightly smaller eggplant slice. This will help to keep the stack from falling over.  Lovely flavors coming from this simple dish. 

8 Comments

  1. tobias cooks! on April 15, 2010 at 22:06

    I do this one a lot. just love it!



  2. Cynthia on April 16, 2010 at 00:02

    When I see yummy eggplant recipes like this, it makes me wish I liked eggplant.



  3. Kalyn on April 16, 2010 at 03:28

    Gorgeous recipe, love it!



  4. The Curious Cat on April 16, 2010 at 09:32

    I love the sound of this…looks so lush! xxx



  5. dining tables on April 17, 2010 at 02:39

    This is one of my favorites! I like the combination of the eggplant and the cheese!



  6. Peter M on April 17, 2010 at 09:24

    It’s always a delight to see the grilled dishes reappear with the warm weather. A great first course…al fresco certainly!



  7. The Culinary Chase on April 17, 2010 at 15:02

    Thanks Tobias, Cynthia, Kalyn, Curios Cat, Dining Tables & Peter! Easy to make & delicious to eat! Cheers.



  8. Teresa on November 15, 2010 at 04:10

    YUM! I made this tonight, though I switched up the herb mix to use some things I already had on hand. Great taste and lovely presentation 🙂