Summer Fresh Recipe Series: Spicy Grilled Eggplant

Grilled eggplant graced with just the perfect amount of lime and spicy heat makes this a side dish that's hard to resist.

Well it's September and we're having a heat wave in Los Angeles, breaking temperature records all over the place.  It was 118 degrees yesterday so it's safe to say that summer's not over by a long shot.  So we are grilling out hearts out trying to keep the meals simple and the house cool.

Labor day is tomorrow and today's recipe is a wonderful summer side dish.  As my 18th installment of my Summer Fresh Recipe Series (which is soon coming to a close), this features eggplant as the star of the dish.   Eggplant is a great vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways.  Today we are prepping it with a spicy rub and grilling it for outstanding flavor!

This would be the perfect side dish for any grilled meat, and would go great with the Grilled Ranch Chicken Burgers for a nice Labor day cookout.  Eggplants are perfect for grilling.  Their skin becomes soft once cooked and the flesh inside is meaty and tender.  We used lime juice and Cajun seasoning which adds the right amount of flavor and heat. 

You can't beat this as a side dish, one that everyone will be choosing over all the others.

Enjoy!

Summer Fresh Recipe Series

• Carrot and Almond Bulgur Salad
• Tomato Avocado & Grilled Corn Salad
• Spinach Orzo Salad with Chickpeas 
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Watermelon Salad Mediterranean Style
• Chicken Fajita Kabobs
• Refreshing Melon Salad
• Peach Blueberry & Ginger Crisp
• Grilled Sirloin Steak with Garlic Herb Vinaigrette
• Grilled Vegetable Platter
• Sirloin Steak topped with Herb Salsa with Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Grilled Honey Ginger Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Apricots & Brocollini
• Lemon Raspberry Dutch Baby
• Simple Mediterranean Salad
• Grilled Chicken Kofta
• Greek Cobb Salad

Spicy Grilled Eggplant

serves 8

1 large or 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2" rounds
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
3 tsp Cajun seasoning

Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil.  Drizzle with lime juice and sprinkle on the Cajun seasoning. Grill over medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side.

source:  Taste of Home American Summer Cookbook