Eggplant and goat's cheese stack

Yes, I have a thing for eggplant. And yes, I have a real thing for goat's cheese. Combine them and I'm happy as a pig in you-know-what.

Look at this little stack of eggplant and goat's cheese. Isn't it pretty!

I used a variegated eggplant (white and purple stripes) so there was a little bit of extra colour, but the flavour was the same as a 'normal' purple eggplant. I made a tomato chilli jam to go onto the top, which was a little spicy, but really jazzed up the flavours of the other ingredients.

We had this with a grilled chicken breast and some salad. It was tasty and filling.

You could make this for a dinner party entree. I think it could be a real show-stopper when you bring it to the table. You could pre-grill the eggplant and keep it warm and also make the chilli jam beforehand, so this would be easy to quickly assemble.

What you'll need

Serves four

For the eggplant stack

2 large eggplant, sliced into 5cm thick slices
2 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced into about 6 pieces each
150g goat's cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


For the tomato chilli jam

200g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 brown onion, finely sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 hot red chilli, finely chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

What to do

Make the chilli jam. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and onions and cook slowly until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for five minutes until the tomatoes start to break down. Add all the other ingredients, mix well and season to taste. Place the lid on the saucepan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the jam becomes sticky, about 30 minutes. Stir regularly to ensure the ingredients don't stick or burn on the bottom.

If the jam becomes too dry, add a bit more water to loosen it. Once cooked, set aside to keep warm.

Heat the grill in your oven. On a lined baking tray, place the slices of eggplant. Using a pastry brush, paint on a little bit of oil to each slice of eggplant and sprinkle on a little bit of salt. Slide the tray under the grill and grill for about 5 minutes, but watch it closely as it can burn quickly. Once the eggplant is a little browned on one side, flip it and grill on the other side until it is brown. Once cooked, it should be soft, but not falling apart. Set aside and keep warm while you grill the rest of the eggplant.

Once the eggplant is grilled and the jam is made, assemble the stacks.

On a plate, place one slice of eggplant. Place a slice of tomato, then some crumbled goat's cheese, repeat with another layer of eggplant, tomato and goat's cheese, and top with another slice of eggplant. Place a spoonful of the tomato jam on the top and sprinkle with a little of the basil leaves.

Serve immediately with a green salad if you like or by itself.