Grilled Eggplant Panini

Panini con Melanzane alla Griglia


A delicate round panini composed of homemade focaccia, grilled eggplant, soft mozzarella, prosciutto and fried sage leaves. All these flavors combined together spell, Italian.


Grilled Eggplant Panini
focaccia bread
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced
mozzarella, thinly sliced
prosciutto
sage leaves, chopped


Make focaccia bread and cut into small circles. Peel eggplant and slice to a 1/4 inch thickness, lay out on paper towels then cover with paper towels and let sit for 30 minutes, this takes out the bitterness. Brush both sides of eggplant with olive oil, salt and pepper, grill. Flip over and place 1 slice of mozzarella and 1 slice of prosciutto on top of half the eggplant slices. Sandwich with the remaining eggplant slices. Make panini and top with chopped sage leaves.

Chef Chuck's Grilled Swordfish

Pesce Spada alla Siciliana

Today's catch of the day, was swordfish, fresh from the fish market. I first marinated the swordfish, and then grilled it. So simple yet so delightful for a summer dish, served with garden picked tomatoes and a wedge of lemon.  Swordfish is quite popular in Sicily, and this is one of the many ways to prepare this fish.  

Grilled Swordfish

1 swordfish steak

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 tablespoon capers

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

salt and pepper to taste

lemon wedges

Wash and pat dry fish salt and pepper both sides.  Combine all ingredients and marinate the fish for at least 30 minutes.  Remove and place on oiled hot grill, cook for 3 minutes on each side.  Spoon marinade over fish and serve.  Serves 2