The other day Uncle Nick at my favorite neighborhood store, Zingone’s, insisted that I buy some beautiful baby eggplant that he was proudly showing off. One of the other regulars started to give me a cooking lesson on making a quick eggplant dish when Nick interrupted “she’s a cook, quit tellin’ her want to do, she knows.” Well, then, of course, I had to buy some of his prized produce. Steve doesn’t much like eggplant so I always try to think of something zesty to do with them that he will, perhaps, find more enticing. This time I grilled them, whole, on my stovetop grill pan, and then tossed them with some chopped Campari tomatoes and red onion added some minced garlic and hot chiles along with whatever herbs were wilting in the fridge – some basil, chives, and oregano. Sprinkle on some evo and then a bit of sherry vinegar – topped the salad with a handful of grilled shrimp and we had a simple, but oh so satisfying dinner.
