Eggplant and Tomato Stacks with Pesto

This time of year we normally have a ton of eggplants to go with the ton of tomatoes.  Unfortunately, our plants are just not producing many eggplants and we've not gotten our normal supply from the CSA.  That meant I needed to come up with something spectacular for the two little eggplants we'd picked from the garden.  Little was the operative word.  About six bites each :-( 

In the CSA basket we had a good supply of basil.  It has to be used up pretty quickly or it'll spoil.  And, I had a couple of little tomatoes to use up.  Why not combine grilled eggplant, tomatoes and pesto?  Everyone's doing caprese salads and such but this sounded like an interesting twist.  It was. Actually, it was one of the best salads we've had this summer.  Here's how to put it together:




Eggplant and Tomato Stacks with Pesto

Ingredients:

2 small eggplants, sliced about 1" thick (I didn't peel mine)
2 small tomatoes, sliced in fourths
olive oil
2 T goat cheese
pesto (recipe follows)
2 T toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Brush or toss the eggplant slices with olive oil.

Grill on relatively high heat until they've got great grill marks and are nice and soft. 

Remove them from the heat.  Smear about a teaspoon of goat cheese on each slice.  Stack a piece of eggplant, followed by a slice of tomato. 

Repeat.  Drizzle with pesto then sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts.

Monica's Pesto

This recipe was given to me MANY years ago.  Before I started my financial planning practice in 1989, I was a commercial loan officer in the private banking department of one of our largest banks.  I had the privilege of financing a medical practice for a dear friend's husband.  She's an absolutely fabulous cook and has a most wonderful kitchen in which to cook.  I jotted this recipe on one of those pink phone message pads and there it is to this day...  To me that's part of the fun of recipes.  Who gave it to you?  Where did you first try the dish?  Who were you with?  Lots of good memories!!

Ingredients:

2 c basil
2 cloves garlic
parsley (if you want, I usually don't)
1/2 c olive oil
2 T pine nuts (you can subsitute walnuts)
3 T butter
1/2 c grated parmesan
2 T grated romano

Directions:

Blend first five ingredients in your food processor. 

You can easily freeze this portion. 

Warm the basil mixture in a saucepan.  Add 3 T of butter and allow it to melt.  Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 c grated parmesan and 2 T grated romano.  Sauce is enough for one pound of pasta.