Grilled Eggplant Burgers

Submitted by Colleen321

"I got this from a care2.com email. They said it was inspired by Simply in Season by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert. I had to post it so I wouldn't loose it. It was so good!"

 

• Ready In: 27mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 16 1/4-inch rounds
• 8 8 slices gouda cheese (thin slices) or 8 slices other cheese (thin slices)
• 2 thinly-sliced tomatoes or 4 large roasted red peppers
• 8 -16 leaves fresh basil
• fresh ground pepper

• seasoning oil

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons wine vinegar or 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon-style mustard
• sea salt
• freshly-ground pepper, to taste

directions

1. Whisk all seasoning oil ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Brush eggplant slices with seasoning oil and place over medium-high heat on grill. Close lid and cook until tender, turning and brushing with remaining seasoning oil, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill. (You may also cook eggplant under the broiler, or saute them in a pan until tender, about 4 or 5 minutes per side.).
3. Place a slice of cheese on 1 eggplant slice, then top with another eggplant slice. Top this with 2 tomato slices or a piece of roasted red pepper, then put 2 to 4 basil leaves on top of that. Top with third eggplant slice, then another slice of cheese. Top with a fourth eggplant slice. Finish with a grind of pepper.
4. Repeat process to make 4 stacks. Place stacks on grill, close lid, and cook for about 2 minutes, turning once.
5. Serve immediately, or make into sandwiches on crusty rolls or bread. These sandwiches may be served warm or wrapped tightly and chilled several hours or overnight.
6. (I had mine open faced on ciabatta bread).