Charred Eggplant And Beef Burgers Recipes

CHARRED-EGGPLANT AND BEEF BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Char eggplant, turning often, until cooked through and soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Cut eggplant in half, and scrape flesh into a fine sieve set over a bowl; discard skin. Let stand for 2 hours to drain. Coarsely chop eggplant.
• Stir 1/2 cup eggplant into beef; reserve remainder for another use. Divide mixture into 4 equal pieces. Shape each into a 3 1/2-inch patty (about 3/4 inch thick).
• Reheat grill to high. Grill buns, cut sides down. Brush both sides of burgers with oil, and season with salt. Grill until charred, about 4 minutes per side for medium (3 minutes per side if using a grill pan).
• Meanwhile, mix together ketchup, pickles, yogurt, and mustard. Spread some sauce onto each bun half. Top bottom buns with lettuce, tomato, then burgers. Shave cheese onto burgers using a Microplane zester. Sandwich with remaining bun halves.

CHARRED EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Brush 2 rimmed baking sheets with olive oil. Put the eggplants, flesh-side down, on one of the baking sheets, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt. Toss the tomatoes, onion and garlic with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil on the other baking sheet (don't crowd the pans or the vegetables will steam). Season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables until tender and browned in spots, about 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through.
• Scoop the eggplant flesh from the skin into a saucepan, discarding any excess seeds. Add the remaining roasted vegetables, the chicken stock, thyme and cilantro and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Puree the soup in a blender (in batches if necessary) until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and thin with more stock, if needed. Season with salt, pepper and chile powder. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fennel fronds; slide the cotton candy into the soup to serve.

CHARRED EGGPLANT RAITA

Steps:

• Char the skin of the eggplants by roasting them on all sides on a skewer over the open flame of a gas burner; or, blacken them under an oven's broiler. When thoroughly burnt, place in cold water to cool, then peel off the skin of the eggplants.
• Cut up the eggplant and place into a large bowl. Mash well with a fork or potato masher. Stir in the yogurt and onion. Season with cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, and spoon into serving dish. Sprinkle with serrano pepper and cilantro before serving.

CHARRED BEEF BURGERS WITH BABA GHANOUSH

Steps:

• Char the eggplant over an open flame, rotating it often to cook evenly, about 20 minutes. The skin should be completely blackened and the flesh should be cooked through. Place the eggplant in a bowl, cover it tightly with plastic wrap (to steam off the skin), and set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes. Then remove the charred skin with a paper towel, leaving the flesh behind. Chop the eggplant with a knife until it is a thick and chunky puree. Mix the eggplant and the yogurt together in a bowl, and season it with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan over high heat.
• Split the buns in half, and spray the split surfaces lightly with cooking spray. Season the burger patties with salt and pepper to taste. Place the buns, cut sides down, and the burgers on the grill. Allow the buns to char slightly, and then transfer them to a platter. Cook the burgers for about 2 1/2 minutes per side for rare.
• To assemble the burgers, spread the bottom buns with some of the eggplant mixture. Place the burgers on top, and then top each burger with some of the Russian dressing. Pile the tomato, onion, and lettuce on the burgers, and set the bun tops in place. Serve.
• Fat: 29g (before), 7.4g (after)
• Calories: 540 (before), 341 (after)
• Protein: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Cholesterol: 56mg
• Fiber: 7g
• Sodium: 773mg