Recipe and Photography By Lily Krass
So often, veggie options at a grill out are less than inspiring. It can feel like an afterthought; a sad little portobello steak or a few droopy slices of tofu sulking behind the pile of tasty looking burgers.
Although I don’t stick to a full vegetarian diet, I’ll typically gravitate towards a veggie option if it’s available. These grilled eggplant stackers are one of my favorite options for a summer gathering, bun-sized and easy to substitute for a burger, but also a great side or appetizer to enjoy with a fork and knife.
I’ve avoided eggplant in the past, simply because the tough skin can make it a pain to cut through. Which is why these stackers are the perfect excuse to break out my favorite G-Fusion Steak Knives. Who says you need to eat steak to reap the benefits of these incredible little knives? The semi-serrated blade design looks a little different from most steak knives I’ve used in the past, and ultra-thin blade slices through both tough veggies and meat with strikingly little effort. For these stackers, the serration also helps slice through the tomatoes, so I’d consider this one a major win-win.
On hot summer evenings, I prefer the caprese topping to stay fresh, with the mozzarella chilled and the tomatoes plump. But you can also add the tomatoes and cheese in the last few minutes of grilling for a cozier bite that melts together on top of the eggplant. When you’ve got fresh tomatoes, cheese, and basil on your plate, there’s no wrong way to do it!
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Directions: