Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Steaks

Mediterranean Grilled Eggplant Steaks

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
2-3 roasted red peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-10 oz. boxes fresh or frozen  spinach, thawed and drained
Pinch of nutmeg
8-10 Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped


Directions
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut each eggplant length-wise into 4 steaks, about 1 inch thick. Brush the eggplant steaks with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on one side. Lay the steaks on the grill pan, seasoned side down. While they are cooking, brush the top side with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant about 3-4 minutes on each side until they are tender but not fully cooked. Depending on the size of your grill pan, you may have to do this in batches to cook all 8 steaks. When they are done, transfer them to a baking sheet.

While the eggplant is cooking, heat 2 tsp. oil in a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the roasted red peppers and the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, separating it with your fingers and mix it into the peppers. Add a pinch of nutmeg. Heat the spinach through. Add the olives to the mixture and remove from the heat.
Top each eggplant steak generously with the spinach/pepper/olive mixture. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 2 tsps. oil and most of the parsley, retaining a bit for garnish. Sprinkle the crumbs over each steak. Just put a little. Don’t put so much that you can’t see the pretty colors of the veggie mixture. Bake the eggplant steaks for 5 minutes until the bread crumbs start to brown. Turn the oven to broil and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the crumbs are browned and crispy. Check on it often to make sure it doesn’t burn. Transfer steaks to a platter. Garnish with remaining parsley.