Anna’s eggplant appetizer
Easy recipe for a delicious eggplant appetizer recipe that consists of grilled eggplant slices topped with tomato, garlicky parmesan mayonnaise sauce, and garnished with fresh herbs.
This is one of my favorite appetizers, occasionally we like to have appetizer dinners, which is just appetizers for dinner -it’s an adult version of ice cream for dinner – and this eggplant appetizer is one of those yummy appetizers that always gets included. It is especially good in the summer when you can get the best quality eggplants and tomatoes.
I learned how to make this eggplant appetizer from my friend Anna, back in the days when we lived in Austin and hung out with a very fun group of Russians. We met Anna, who is Polish, thru our Russian friends (I miss these guys so much). We all lived in the same apartment complex and had some great dinner parties – Russians definitely known how to party. Anna would usually bring this appetizer to these dinners.
The combination of eggplant and tomato gets a very spicy contrast from the garlic parmesan mayonnaise sauce, which I really think that sauce is the key to making this appetizer so delicious. Even though I’ve made this eggplant and tomato appetizer so many times I still remember Anna’s as being so much better than mine, she always used dill as the garnish. I use it sometimes but it just depends what I have in the garden or fridge, this time I used thyme and oregano as garnishes.
Grilled eggplant appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant
- 2-3 tbs olive oil
- 2-3 tomatoes sliced
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 4 tbs mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- Fresh herbs to garnish dill, basil, oregano, thyme, etc
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Slice eggplants, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Grill until the eggplant slices are cooked, about 5 minutes on an electric grill, you can also fry or bake the eggplant slices.
- Meanwhile mix the grated parmesan cheese, crushed garlic, mayonnaise and pepper in a small bowl
- Arrange the eggplant slices on a plate, top each one with a slice of tomato and a spoon of the garlicky parmesan mixture.
- Garnish each appetizer with a fresh herb sprig and serve warm or cold.
Step by step preparation photos for this eggplant and tomato appetizer with garlicky parmesan mayonnaise sauce
this looks divine Layla,
I am a personal Chef
I make fresh items like these for my home life especially, and I cant wait to try this.
I cut the medium size eggplant in half for two cylinder pieces, turned it onto one top side and sliced down 4 one-inch slivers off the skin off and discarded. I am putting the eggplants into the air fryer salted with a combination of seas salt, rosemary, onion powder seasoning on one side. sprayed both sides w olive oil, layed 3 strips of foil into the airfryer tray (we have an oven-style air fryer) and cooking for the norm 400 for 10 min.
I will make your dressing–the ingredients will compliment it nicely—not too much–your photo loks just right! — and for the herb to use: eggplants particularly go very well with fresh basil. I will scissor cut fresh basil leaf on top of the cooked eggplant then follow your steps, repeat the basil on top and crown it with a ball of buffalo mozzarella or a creamier version–a Burrata…..
thank you for this clean recipe. I appreciate the “less cooked” eggplant than one smothered with cooked sauce and melted cheese that are more dinner-ish…..I am looking forward to it!
My daughter requested sliced eggplant with tomatoes and ricotta cheese for her birthday dinner. This is the closest I’ve found.
Looks delicious and amazing pictures…..!!!!!!
From Caracas-Venezuela
Made as a side dish for dinner tonight with out garden grown eggplant & tomatoes. Can’t wait to make again! Fantastic!
I just found your site cause I was given a box of organic eggplants and don’t know what do with them. I’m a Texan married to a French man, living in France, and I’m always searching for different ideas for apéritif. This recipe looks great! Thank you, gracias, et enfin, merci!
I made these when had some friends over for a barbeque. They tasted great, though they didn’t look as nice as your photos! I will be making these again. I added some dried dill to my mayo-parmesan mixture and topped it with Parsley.
I made this tonight…wow!