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Grilled Eggplant and Lemons With Garlic Labneh

One of the best eggplant recipes is this dish of grilled eggplant with lemon and labneh.
Alex Lau

Use whatever type of eggplant looks most appealing at the market; they should be firm to the touch, with glossy skin. Small globe eggplants are easy to find, but this is also a terrific time to use long Asian types, small round white ones, or any of the cool-looking striped varieties.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 Servings

Ingredients

Vegetable oil (for grill)
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 small eggplants, sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon za'atar
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon Sherry or white wine vinegar
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 cup labneh (Lebanese strained yogurt)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare a grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate. Soak onion in ice water 10 minutes to mellow its flavor. Drain, pat dry with paper towels, and transfer to a medium bowl.

    Step 2

    Meanwhile, toss eggplant, za’atar, and 3 Tbsp. olive oil in another medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Grill eggplant, turning often, until tender and charred in spots, 5–8 minutes; transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Halve any large rounds; set aside.

    Step 3

    Toss lemon with 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Grill lemon, turning often, until lightly charred in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let cool slightly. Cut lemon slices in half and add to bowl with onion. Stir in mint, Sherry, and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper.

    Step 4

    Mix garlic and labneh in another small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spoon labneh mixture onto a platter and arrange eggplant and onion mixture over.

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