Grilled eggplant sandwiches

Remember we posted about a grilled eggplant and onion pizza a little while ago?! Well that grilled eggplant impressed us so much I thought it would be fun to try this grilled eggplant mozzarella melt sandwich. This wasn't quite as tasty as the pizza -- but, I mean, come on... how can a sandwich really be better than pizza?! -- however, it was still enjoyable and we both had it as leftover lunch the next day.

Eggplant mozzarella melt by Martha Stewart
   Serves 4
Ingredients
4 slices eggplant, each about 1 inch thick, cut crosswise from thickest part of 1 large eggplant
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Salt and pepper
1/4 c red-wine vinegar
1/4 lb mozzarella, cut into 4 slices
4 brioche buns, preferably with sesame seeds, halved
4 small leaves Bibb or Boston lettuce (we substituted arugula)
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves

Directions
   Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush eggplant and onion liberally with oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Brush grates with oil. Grill onion, flipping once, until softened and lightly marked in spots, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with vinegar.
   Grill eggplant slices until just tender on one side, about 5 minutes. Flip and top each with cheese; cook until eggplant is tender and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more. (I placed some aluminum foil over the grill pan while both the onion and eggplant grilled so that the steam would soften both vegetables a little bit more.)
   Meanwhile, grill rolls until lightly marked. Sandwich lettuce, eggplant, onion, and basil with rolls. Serve immediately.

We served the sandwiches with roasted sweet potato wedges and arugula dressed with a red wine vinaigrette (red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive olive).

It's Always Caturday

Dupree appreciated a visit from his fur-grandma
...and really liked the necklace she was wearing!