Eggplant grilled cheese with cherry tomatoes, zaatar, tahini and Yemenite hot sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
30 mins
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Servings
4 people
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Calories
350 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern, Israeli
Eggplant grilled cheese with cherry tomatoes, zaatar, tahini and Yemenite hot sauce
Description
The sandwich starts with eggplant sliced and pan-fried until golden and tender, absorbing olive oil and developing a rich taste. Jarlsberg cheese melts within, lending a nutty, mild creaminess that complements the slightly charred eggplant. Cherry tomatoes add fresh juiciness, while zaatar seasoning introduces herbal, slightly tangy depth.
Accompanying sauces include a smooth tahini blend, combining tahini paste, lemon juice, water, salt, and pepper for a nutty, tangy creaminess, and a Yemenite hot sauce (schug) made from jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, and spices offering a bright, hot, and aromatic kick. Spread on bread, this grilled cheese sandwich combines smoky, creamy, fresh, and spicy elements harmoniously.
Ideal for a flavorful lunch or light dinner, this sandwich showcases layered Middle Eastern flavors and fresh ingredients with familiar comfort food techniques.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 eggplant small
- 1 pint cherry tomato
- 2 lices Jarlsberg cheese per grilled cheese sandwich
- 1 tablespoon zaatar
- 2 lices bread gluten-free bread works great!, your favourite, per grilled cheese sandwich
Yemenite hot sauce (schug):
- 2-3 jalapeno pepper
- ⅓ cup cilantro diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- pinch cardamom
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Tahini sauce:
- 4 tablespoon tahini paste
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¼ lemon juice of
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
Grill eggplant slices:
- Slice eggplant into rounds or slices (depending on the size of your bread).
- Bring a non-stick pan to medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of oil. Arrange as many eggplant slices as a you can fit in a single layer, without overlapping, in the pan. Fry eggplant until both sides are browned, flipping in the middle, about 8-10 minutes in total. Remove eggplant slices onto a paper towel-covered plate, and sprinkle with salt.
- Repeat until all eggplant slices are cooked, adding 2-3 tablespoons of oil with every batch.
Prepare tahini sauce
- In a blender or a jar, mix raw tahini with water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir, shake or blend well to combine. You should end up with a slightly runny, thick tahini sauce.
Make Yemenite hot sauce (schug)
- Put all the schug ingredients in a food processor with a steel blade and process to a smooth mash. Store in a jar in the refrigerator.
Assemble Middle Eastern grilled cheese
- On one piece of bread, spread a generous layer of tahini. Lay one slice of Jarlsberg cheese. Top with a few rounds or slices of grilled eggplant, a few halves of cherry tomatoes, and a sprinkling of zaatar spice. Top with another slice or two of Jarlsberg cheese.
- Smear the next slice of bread with some Yemenite hot sauce. Top the sandwich with the second slice of bread, and press to seal.
Cook the Middle Eastern grilled cheese sandwich:
- Smear bread with butter or olive oil on both sides. Cook in a panini press or in the same hot pan you cooked the eggplant, about 3-4 minutes per side, until the Jarlsberg cheese is melted and gooey. If cooking in a pan, try to weigh down the grilled cheese with a plate or lid or just press down with a spatula.
- Serve eggplant grilled cheese immediately with additional Yemenite hot sauce and tahini for dipping. Mixing the tahini and Yemenite hot sauce also works really well!
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 350 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 350kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 681mg | 28% |
| Potassium | 678mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 832IU | 17% |
| Vitamin C | 44mg | 49% |
| Calcium | 100mg | 10% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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