Grilling Eggplant In Its Own Skin

By Michele Gentille
August 26, 2006; Page P6
The Wall Street Journal

A Connecticut chef who's joined forces with Paul Newman to champion healthy American food cooks pork chops and eggplant Parmesan

THE CHEF: Michel Nischan, who has teamed up with Paul Newman to open The Dressing Room, A Homegrown Restaurant -- Newman's Own, A Homegrown Restaurant in late September. It is on the grounds of the Westport Country Playhouse, the Connecticut theater rescued by Mr. Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward.

THE NEWMAN CONNECTION: The actor is not an owner, but has lent his name to the restaurant. His role: director of opinion on everything from the menu to the décor.

BIOGRAPHY: As a child, Mr. Nischan picked vegetables at his family's farm and helped his mother can tomatoes, but his first kitchen job -- at a truck stop -- was just to support his music career. His résumé includes Drew Nieporent's Tribeca Grill and Heartbeat in New York.

WHAT DRIVES HIM: Health consciousness combined with a passion for heritage foods. "In spirit, I'm a farmer."

THE MEAL: Grilled pork loin chops and summer beans, and a healthy take on eggplant Parmesan with no pasta and little cheese. "Anybody can do this dish, but you need really fresh eggplant and really good tomatoes."

TURNING POINT: In 1994, his 5-year-old son was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. "That's when I realized the way I was cooking was not healthy."

KITCHEN TIP: To crack peppercorns, unscrew the pepper mill to a loose setting.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Yield: Six servings
Active preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes

2 cups cored and chopped tomatoes, preferably heirlooms
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 fresh bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 white eggplants or small purple eggplants, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons oil
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• Put the tomatoes, olive oil, butter and bay leaf into a small, nonreactive pot and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until tomatoes break down and become saucy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and discard bay leaf.
 
• Preheat a grill to medium hot.
 
• Put the eggplants into a large bowl. Add the oil and season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Set the eggplants, skin-side down, on the grill. Cover and grill until the eggplant skin chars, the juices boil up through the flesh and the flesh is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Because the heat on a grill can change over time, use tongs to move the eggplants on the grill so that they cook evenly.
 
• Holding an eggplant half with tongs, make an indentation in the flesh with the back of a spoon. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of the puréed tomatoes into the indentation. Repeat for all six eggplants. Grill covered for about 2 minutes longer, or until the sauce is hot. Sprinkle each eggplant with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan, and cook covered just until the cheese begins to melt, another 2 to 3 minutes. If you have more sauce, use a fork to push down the soft flesh of the eggplant, and spoon more sauce into the indentation.
 
• Gently transfer eggplant halves to plates with tongs and a spatula underneath. Serve immediately with any remaining sauce on the side, if you like.
 

***

Grilled Pork Chops With Summer Beans

Yield: Six servings
Active preparation and cooking time: 55 minutes
Marinating time: 2 hours

Salt
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
½ cup oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black peppercorns plus freshly ground black pepper
6 boneless pork loin chops, 1½ inches thick
6 bunches fresh rosemary
1½ pounds assorted fresh green beans, wax beans, dragon tongue beans or purple beans, stem ends trimmed
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sprinkle salt over the garlic on a cutting board. Using the side of a knife, rub garlic into a paste and transfer to a large, resealable bag. Add the oil, orange juice, honey, zests, oregano, sage and cracked peppercorns. Add the pork, seal the bag and shake to coat evenly. Cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking.
 
• Put the rosemary in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
 
• Preheat a grill to high heat. Lightly oil the grill grates. If using charcoal, mound the coals to one side of the grill so that you can finish the pork over indirect heat. If using a gas grill, turn one of the burners to medium.
 
• Remove the pork from the marinade. Season generously with salt and pepper.
 
• Place the chops on the hotter part of the grill and cook until the pork is well marked and browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
 
• Drain the rosemary. Place 1/3 of the rosemary on the cooler side of the grill and turn the marked pork chops onto the rosemary. Place half of the remaining rosemary on top of the pork chops and cover the grill. Cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 10 minutes more.
 
• Uncover the grill and lay the beans in a single layer next to the pork chops. Lay the remaining rosemary sprigs on top of the beans. Carefully place the pork loin chops on top of the rosemary and beans, discarding the rosemary that was underneath the pork. Continue to grill just until the beans are cooked and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees, 5 to 6 minutes more.
 
• Remove the rosemary on top of the pork and reserve for garnish. Discard the rosemary underneath the pork. Toss the beans with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the beans on a warmed platter large enough to hold them and all the pork chops. Garnish with the cooked rosemary and serve.

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