Grilled Goat's Cheese And Eggplant, From Chris Cox

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Slice the eggplant thin and sprinkle with salt. Allow to drain in a colander for an hour.

2. Step 2

   Preheat broiler.

3. Step 3

   Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels and brush the slices on both sides with the olive oil. Place them on a broiling pan lined with aluminum foil and broil them lightly, turning once, until the slices are golden but not overbrowned. Cool.

4. Step 4

   Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce, or puree. Boil the tomatoes in their skins for 10 minutes. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel the skins. Squeeze out the juice and seeds and discard. Place the pulp in a food processor. Process until smooth and pour into a noncorrosive saucepan. The puree should be quite thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

5. Step 5

   Slice the round tomatoes thin. Place two slices eggplant per person, overlapping them slightly, on a broiling pan lined with foil. (You should have eight portions.) Top each portion with a slice or two of tomato and a generous tablespoon of goat's cheese. Set aside.

6. Step 6

   Preheat broiler. Broil the eggplant until the cheese is browned and bubbling. While it is cooking, warm the tomato sauce.

7. Step 7

   Place the eggplant portions on individual plates, with a pool of sauce on the side. Garnish with basil and serve.