Grilled Eggplant Open Faces

We got one small eggplant in our CSA box this week. I wasn't quite sure what to do with it---it wasn't enough to make into baba ganoush or to put in ratatouille. I found an eggplant sandwich recipe and thought it looked perfect.

Curtis and I loved it. I didn't bother offering to the kids--mostly because I didn't want to share it. Madeleine probably would have liked it. Once the eggplant was eaten, I just toasted a piece of bread with Gouda on it and topped it with the leftover tomatoes, which was also excellent. We'll be eating a lot of this this summer!

The recipe says to discard the long sides of the eggplant with the skin. We grilled the end slices and then took it off the skin to eat. No eggplant wasted that way.

Grilled Eggplant Open Faced Sandwich
from Gourmet

1 lb tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 c + 2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T white wine vinegar
1/2 t black pepper
3/4 t salt
4 slices of smoked Gouda (or smoked mozzarella)
4 slices of bread (I used whole wheat bread)
1 eggplant

Prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (or moderate heat for a gas grill). While grill is heating, stir together tomatoes, parsley, 2 T oil, vinegar, pepper and salt in medium bowl. Brush bread on both sides with 1 T oil per slice. Trim the top and bottom off each eggplant. Cut into 1/4 - 1/2" slices lengthwise. Brush cut sides with 3 T oil (total) and sprinkle with 1/2 t salt. On lightly oiled grill rack, grill eggplant slices until very tender. While the eggplant is grilling, grill bread until grill marks form When eggplant is finished top with a slice of cheese and grill until cheese begins to melt. Transfer to platter.

To serve, top each piece of bread with an eggplant/cheese slice. Spoon tomato mixture on top of eggplant.