The Secret To Great Grilling
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 2:00AM 
Start the grilling season out right with this heady rule of thumb from Elizabeth Karmel, executive chef at Hill Country Barbecue in New York City. Her secret? Oil the food and not the grates.
Anyone who has left a pan of oil over the burner for too long knows that oil will burn (especially olive oil, which has a lower smoke point than the vegetable and nut varieties.) And when it does, it makes a smoky, rancid, sticky mess.
When grilling, it’s important to get the grill nice and hot before cooking, but oil applied to nicely preheated grates will burn almost immediately, creating a film that actually creates, rather than prevents, sticking. On the other hand, coating the food itself with a thin layer of oil makes a non-stick barrier that keeps all the natural juices sealed in during cooking, so that food stays moist and flavorful.
Eggplant is notoriously tricky on the grill -- sticking, falling apart, drying out or simply disintegrating. I did a side-by-side comparison using the two different techniques and just look at the results! The eggplant on the right was brushed lightly with olive oil and grilled over hot grates, while that on the left was left bare and placed directly onto oiled grates. The oil-brushed slice held its shape with a nicely caramelized nicely outside and silky inside. The other eggplant shriveled, began to fall apart, and managed to be both overly soft and dehydrated at the same time.
The best way to apply the thin slick of oil you need is to use a brush, or with sturdier items like meat, shake with a drizzle of oil in a resealable plastic bag to coat.
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Cheesy Eggplant Bites
Serves 8
Coating these coin-sized eggplant slices with oil before grilling keeps them sturdy enough to hold a topping; get creative! These make a great party appetizer.
3 to 4 Japanese or Chinese eggplants (about 12 inches long, 1-inch diameter), trimmed and sliced crosswise 3/4-inch-thick
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
Salt and pepper
10 bocconcini mozzarella balls, thinly sliced
1/2 cup marinara sauce, warmed
Chopped oregano, basil or other fresh herb, for garnish
Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Brush eggplant slices on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until well marked on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Place a mozzarella slice onto each piece of eggplant, cover and cook until cheese is melted and eggplant is tender, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Top each eggplant bite with a bit of warm marinara sauce and garnish with herbs. Serve warm.
Tip: To prepare ahead, grill eggplant slices up to 24 hours before serving, then top with cheese, broil and assemble to serve.
To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.
Breadless Eggplant Parm “Sub”
Makes 2
With eggplant slices this plump and substantial, there's no need for bread!
3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 large eggplant, ends trimmed and sliced lengthwise into ½-inch-thick planks
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup marinara sauce, warmed
Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Stir together ricotta, lemon zest and thyme; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brush eggplant slices on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until well marked on both sides, about 5 minutes. Cover two of the eggplant slices with the Parmigiano, cover, and cook until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove eggplant from grill.
Spoon the warm marinara sauce over the cheesy eggplant slices. Divide the ricotta mixture between the 2 remaining eggplant slices and spread over each in an even layer; place on top of the cheesy eggplant slices, ricotta side down. Serve sandwiches warm with knife and fork.
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