Grilled Eggplants with Roasted Red Pepper Relish with Pine Nuts, Currants, and Marjoram

By jjadin

Ingredients

• For the relish:
• 1 Tbs. dried currants
• 1/2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
• 1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic
• Kosher salt
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 Tbs. pine nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh marjoram
• Pinch cayenne; more to taste
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
• For the eggplant:
• 1 large globe eggplant (about 1 lb.), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more as needed
• Kosher salt

Preparation

Step 1

Make the relish:

Combine the currants and both vinegars in a small bowl.

With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and a pinch of salt to a paste, or mince the garlic, sprinkle with salt, and mash into a paste with the side of a chef’s knife.

Set the pepper directly on a gas burner, under a hot broiler, or on a hot charcoal or gas grill. Keep rotating the pepper until it’s evenly charred all over. Transfer to a small bowl, cover tightly with plastic, and let cool.

When cool enough to handle, peel the pepper over the same bowl to catch any juice; discard the skin. Don’t rinse the pepper—it’s fine if a few charred bits remain. (It’s helpful to rinse your fingers occasionally.) Still working over the bowl, split the pepper and remove the stem and as many of the seeds as possible. Set the juice aside. Cut the pepper into very small dice and put in a medium bowl. Strain the pepper juice over the pepper. Add the currants and vinegar, garlic paste, pine nuts, olive oil, marjoram, and cayenne and stir. Season to taste with salt and cayenne.
Grill the eggplant:

Prepare a medium-high charcoal or gas grill fire. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt. Grill (covered on a gas grill; uncovered on a charcoal grill) until golden-brown grill marks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the eggplant and grill until tender and well marked on the second sides, 3 to 4 minutes more. The interior should be grayish and soft rather than white and hard.

When ready to serve, stir the relish again and spoon it over the grilled eggplant, or serve it on the side. Garnish with parsley, if using.