Name: Eggplant burgers
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/4 cup olive oil; 3 eggplants, cut into 2cm-thick rounds (to yield 12 rounds); 2 x 125g balls fresh mozzarella; 3 large tomatoes, cut into; 1 centimetre slices; handful of fresh basil leaves; 1 quantity caramelised red onions; extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Eggplant burgers

‘Tis the season for eggplants! Turn them into these ideal “burgers”, which will satisfy everyone at the party this summer, not just vegetarians. These are a flavour explosion, pure and simple.

Serves 6

Prep

30M

Caramelised red onions recipe here

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

3 eggplants, cut into 2cm-thick rounds (to yield 12 rounds)

2 x 125g balls fresh mozzarella

3 large tomatoes, cut into

1 centimetre slices

handful of fresh basil leaves

1 quantity caramelised red onions

extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

1.Pour the olive oil onto a dinner plate. Lightly coat each eggplant slice in oil by briefly dipping them in the oil. This method ensures you regulate the amount of oil used in cooking the eggplant, as they will want to slurp up as much of it as possible!

2.Pan-fry until golden on both sides and softened.

3.Use a sharp knife to slice mozzarella into 6 rounds.

4.Make a stack with the cooked eggplant, tomatoes, basil leaves, mozzarella, warm onions, finishing with a top slice of warm eggplant.

5.The heat from the cooked eggplant and onions (both of which hold their heat well) will warm the tomato, basil and mozzarella just enough to accentuate their gorgeous flavours.

6.Scatter with basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil to serve.