Lemongrass Pork Chops and Eggplant

By michele080478

In place of the slender Asian eggplant, you can use 1 large globe eggplant, but its flesh must be salted first to draw off some of the bitter juices. Cut crosswise into rounds 1/2 inch thick, sprinkle the rounds with salt, place in a colander and let stand for about 30 minutes. Rinse well, pat dry, brush with oil and grill according to the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh ginger
• 2 lemongrass stalks, tough tops discarded, tender bulbs peeled and chopped
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. water
• 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (used seasoning sauce instead)
• 1 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 4 boneless loin pork chops, each about 1/2 lb. and 1 inch thick
• 4 Asian eggplant, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• Canola oil for brushing

Preparation

Step 1

Marinate the pork chops
In a food processor, chop the garlic finely. Add the ginger, lemongrass and cilantro and pulse to chop finely. Add the water, fish sauce, brown sugar and red pepper flakes and process until a wet paste forms. Transfer to a shallow, nonreactive baking dish, add the pork chops and turn to coat evenly. Cover and let stand while the grill heats. (The marinated pork chops can be refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)

Grill the pork chops and eggplant
Prepare a hot fire in a grill.
Brush the eggplant halves on both sides with oil. Lightly oil the grill rack. Place the pork chops and eggplant on the grill rack and cover the grill. Cook the chops, turning once, until they feel firm and spring back when pressed, about 8 minutes total. Grill the eggplants, turning once or twice, until tender, about 6 minutes, then move them to the edge of the grill to keep warm while the pork finishes cooking.
Transfer the pork chops and eggplant to a platter and serve immediately. Serves 4