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Gardening Tips Recipes Jamaican Jerk Eggplant Steaks

Jamaican Jerk Eggplant Steaks

By Andrea Bemis
Smoky Eggplant Tahini Dip

By Andrea Bemis

If you’re a fan of spicy food I think you’ll love these eggplant steaks. The marinade isn’t overly intense but the combination of flavors is complex and downright delicious. Obviously this will taste great on traditional pork or chicken but I’m so darn pleased with how these eggplants steaks turned out. In fact I’m so happy with how good this was on eggplant that I’m already planning on using this marinade on some winter squash. I’m thinking acorn squash wedges will be perfect for this. Anyhow, I was inspired by my dear friend (and fellow CSA member) Dana from the blog Minimalist Baker for this recipe. I used her recipe as a guide and adjusted to what we had on hand at the farm. If you’re not an eggplant lover I think this recipe may do the trick. The eggplants are cooked to perfection on the grill and when eaten with a fork and knife, slathered in the sauce you really can’t go wrong! Feel free to serve these steaks with a side of white rice for a simple meal.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6 steaks

Jerk Marinade

  • 3 scallions, minced (white and light green parts only)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 thinly sliced serrano or jalape񯠰epper (scrape most of the seeds but leave a few in for some kick)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or tamari or soy sauce)
  • 2-1/2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons walnut oil (or another neutral tasting oil)

Eggplant

  • 2 medium sized Italian eggplants , sliced vertically into 1/2 inch thick "steaks"
  • Olive oil for brushing the steaks
  • Minced parsley for serving

Preparation

1. In a large bowl whist together all the ingredients for the marinade until well combined. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. If the sauce needs more saltiness add more coconut aminos, if it needs more acidity add more lime juice, if it's not sweet enough add more sweetener. Have fun and make it taste the way you want it to!

2. Preheat an outdoor grill (or grill pan) to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the eggplants with olive oil and then generously brush them with the marinade, reserving as much as you can for serving.

3. Grill the eggplants for about 3-5 minutes per side or until lightly charred. Remove from the heat and serve with additional marinade and minced parsley.

Notes

Use this recipe as a guide. Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. Lightly adapted from Minimalist Baker.

Andrea Bemis harvesting greens at her farm

Photo by Kate Schwager

A farmer to foodie, Andrea Bemis is truly manifesting the farm-to-table lifestyle. Here she shares her delicious recipe creations from her farm in Parkdale, Oregon. Andrea is author of Dishing Up the Dirt Cookbook: Simple Recipes for Cooking Through the Seasons. Find her at dishingupthedirt.com

Last updated: 02/17/2021