Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Gratin

By jojomail1

From Family Circle Summer Grilling recipes. Takes 20 minutes to prep, 10 minutes on the grill and 55 minutes to bake at 350.

Ingredients

• Ingredients2 large ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium eggplants (2-1/2 pounds total), sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Fontina cheese
• Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Place sliced tomatoes on paper toweling; sprinkle with salt. Place paper toweling on top. Let stand 30 minutes. Pat top of tomatoes to remove as much liquid as possible.

2. Prepare outdoor grill with medium-hot coals, or heat gas grill to medium-hot, or heat oven broiler.

3. Coat eggplant on both sides with nonstick cooking spray.

4. Grill eggplant slices 6 inches from coals, or broil on baking sheet coated with cooking spray, 6 inches from heat, 5 minutes on each side or until tender.

5. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Coat large, shallow oval baking dish (about 15 x 10 inches) with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange eggplant and tomato slices, alternating, around and slightly up sides of baking dish. Avoid overlapping too much; try to keep in single layer. Place a few down center of dish. Sprinkle with oregano, basil and garlic. Pour heavy cream over top; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil.

7. Bake in 350 degrees F oven 45 minutes, until bubbly. Remove foil. Bake 10 minutes, until cheese is golden. Cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.