This Blistered Eggplant With Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta is a smoky and tender recipe, which is made with fresh eggplant and salty feta cheese. It’s the perfect summer appetizer, ready in about 45 minutes.
Blistered Eggplant With Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (about 1 ¾ pounds), cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 ¾ pounds mixed tomatoes, small ones halved, large ones cut into ¼-inch-thick rounds
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 6 ounces feta, crumbled
- ½ cup mixed olives
- ½ cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- Bread, such as a baguette, for serving
How To Make Blistered Eggplant
- Broil the Eggplant: Preheat your broiler with the rack positioned about 6 inches from the heat source. Place the eggplant rounds on a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil for 10 to 12 minutes on one side, until the eggplant is blistered and has deep brown spots.
- Flip and Finish Broiling: Carefully flip the eggplant slices and broil the other side for another 10 to 12 minutes, until it is also blistered.
- Steam and Soften: Immediately transfer the hot, broiled eggplant to a large bowl. Drizzle with the ¼ cup of olive oil, toss gently, and then cover the bowl tightly with a plate or plastic wrap. Let it stand for 10 minutes to allow the trapped steam to soften the eggplant completely.
- Assemble and Serve: Arrange the softened eggplant and the fresh tomato slices on a large platter, creating layers. Season each layer with a little salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil as you go. Top the platter with the crumbled feta, the mixed olives, and the fresh parsley leaves. Serve immediately with crusty bread.
Recipe Tips
- How to get tender, not tough, eggplant? The secret is the post-broiling steam! Don’t skip this step. Placing the hot, broiled eggplant slices in a covered bowl for 10 minutes is a crucial step that uses the residual heat and steam to make the eggplant perfectly soft and silky.
- What are the best tomatoes to use? For the best flavor and a beautiful presentation, use a mix of ripe, in-season tomatoes. A combination of colorful heirloom tomatoes and sweet cherry tomatoes is ideal.
- Can I make this on an outdoor grill? Absolutely! Grilling the eggplant slices over a high heat is a perfect alternative to broiling and will give them an even smokier, more delicious flavor.
- Can I make this ahead of time? This dish is best served fresh, but you can prep components. The eggplant can be broiled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The tomatoes can be sliced. Assemble everything just before serving for the best texture.
What To Serve With This Dish
This is a fantastic Mediterranean-style appetizer or side dish. It is perfect served, as the recipe suggests, with crusty bread for scooping up the delicious juices. It also pairs wonderfully with:
- Grilled chicken, lamb, or fish
- A simple couscous or quinoa salad
- As part of a larger meze platter with hummus and pita
How To Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serving Leftovers: This dish is delicious served cold or at room temperature the next day. The flavors will have even more time to meld together.
Blistered Eggplant Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1/6th of recipe
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Protein: 8g
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Sodium: 850mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
No, it’s not necessary. The skin of the eggplant is perfectly edible and it softens nicely during the broiling and steaming process. It also helps the slices hold their shape.
Yes. If you’re not a fan of feta, this dish would also be delicious with dollops of fresh ricotta, shavings of Parmesan, or slices of fresh mozzarella.
While modern eggplants are bred to be less bitter, you can always use a classic trick if you are concerned. Before broiling, you can salt the eggplant slices and let them sit in a colander for about 30 minutes to draw out any bitter juices, then rinse and pat them completely dry.
Try More Recipes:
- Martha’s Grits With Broiled Tomatoes Recipe
- Tomato-Bread Soup Recipe
- Pasta with No-Cook Puttanesca Sauce Recipe
Blistered Eggplant With Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta Recipe
Description
A simple and elegant Mediterranean platter featuring tender, smoky, broiled eggplant layered with fresh ripe tomatoes, salty feta, and briny olives.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler. Place the eggplant slices on a wire rack on a baking sheet.
- Broil for 10-12 minutes per side, until blistered and deep brown in spots.
- Immediately transfer the hot eggplant to a large bowl, toss with the olive oil, and cover tightly. Let it stand for 10 minutes to steam and soften.
- Arrange the softened eggplant and the sliced tomatoes on a large platter.
- Top with the crumbled feta, olives, and fresh parsley.
- Drizzle with a little more olive oil and serve with bread.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to not skip the 10-minute steaming step after broiling the eggplant; this is the secret to a perfectly soft and tender texture.
- For the best results, use the ripest, most flavorful in-season tomatoes you can find. A mix of colors makes for a beautiful presentation.
- Don’t be shy with the final drizzle of a high-quality, peppery extra-virgin olive oil; it ties all the flavors together.
- This dish is best assembled just before serving to maintain the best textures, but the components can be prepared in advance.