Grilled Japanese Eggplant

Today after some much needed rain the sun came out and I started thinking about dinner. The menu- grilled trout with dill and lemon, mushroom and green pepper fried rice ( I was using up leftover rice and needed to use another of my fresh green peppers) and coconut cake for dessert.
My first Japanese egg plant was ready to be eaten so I had to find a recipe to use with it.

Oddly enough I was in the Tom Douglas' restaurant last week and ate one of his famous crab cakes. This recipe is from his cookbook.

Grilled Japanese Egg Plant with Honey Soy Glaze
Honey Soy GlazeMix together:¼c. honey + ¼c. vegetable + ¼ c. fresh lemon juice + ¼ c. soy sauce + ½ t. minced garlic or garlic powder.

Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes if you want it a bit spicy.

4 Japanese eggplants and sesame seeds, toasted

Whisk together the glaze ingredients and put in a flat casserole dish.
Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise, leaving the stem on. Then partially cut each half several times lengthwise, like a fan.

If you'd like to use a globe eggplant (or if you have an abundance of home grown zucchinis) slice it into ½-inch-thick rounds.
Pour half the glaze over the eggplants in a medium bowl and let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Fire up the grill. Remove the eggplants from the marinade.

Allow any excess marinade to drip off, to prevent a flare-up when you place them on the grill.
Grill the eggplants, turning as necessary, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Place 2 eggplant halves or 2 slices of eggplant on each plate and drizzle with a bit of the remaining glaze. Garnish with the sesame seeds.