I had a BIG day in the garden today. The flower beds at 'The Greenhouse' do not get much attention all summer as we are busy with all of the other aspects of running a business. This time of year things slow down and a day like today is a gift. I spent the best part of the day weeding and pruning. At least a small piece of the garden looks like it is loved. Hopefully there will be a lot more days like this before the snow flies.

Sean is away for the evening so I fought the temptation to have a boiled egg and slice of toast and decided to grill a few eggplant stacks. Now, before you turn up your nose at the 'eggplant', these are deadly. Smothered in enough basil and olive oil, you can disguise the taste of anything.

Exquisite Eggplant

- 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1 large tomato
- 3 oz. feta (about 3/4 cup)
- finely shredded basil leaves for garnish

Blend basil with the olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt in blended or food processor till the basil is finely chopped. Prepare grill for cooking over medium hot coals. This may also be done using a lightly oiled pan over moderately high heat. While the grill heats, cut off bottoms of eggplants, then cut 1/2 " thick crosswise rounds. Slice the tomato about the same thickness. Lightly brush the eggplant slices with the basil oil and grill, covered, until the eggplant is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. I turn once and brush the other side of the eggplant slice with more basil oil. Leave the grill on.

To make stacks: on baking pan, arrange 4 eggplant rounds side by side and spread each with a generous amount of basil oil, then top each with a slice of tomato. Season the tomato with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 TBSP feta. Repeat process and finish with an eggplant slice. Drizzle with more of the oil and set the baking pan on the grill with cover closed until heated thru, about 3 minutes. Transfer to serving plate and drizzle with more oil and top with finely shredded basil leaves.

This sounds like a lot of work but it is not. It is an easy meal or appetizer. The eggplant, tomato and basil all came from the greenhouse and were picked just before I came home. Mmmmmmmmmm! Eat your heart out, Jesse.