“Grilling” whole eggplant directly on the gas flame of your stovetop actually creates a more intensely smoky flavor than outdoor grilling.
The key is to really char the eggplant skin until it starts to wrinkle up like the skin of an old, wise man. The outside should blacken so much that it almost looks like it is covered in ashes. Inside, the flesh will be so tender that it almost melts. For quick clean-up, line the burner with foil (make sure the flames can still get through).
Long, thin Japanese or Chinese eggplant work best, and are worth finding for this technique. The chubby oblong globe eggplants sold at most supermarkets will also work, but you’ll need to be patient. With the big eggplants, there is a lot of meat to get through. It helps to par-roast them in the oven first.
1 Place long, slender Japanese or Chinese eggplant, one at a time, directly on the gas burner grate of your stove. Crank up the heat high enough so the flames directly touch the skin of the eggplant, even better if the flames come up the sides of the eggplant a little. Cook the eggplant like you are toasting a marshmallow over a campfire, until the skin is blackened all over and the flesh is falling-apart soft all the way to the center. The skin of the eggplant will begin to split as the flesh softens, so watch closely and move the eggplant around on the burner with tongs to firmer sides as needed. Be patient. It usually takes a good 5 minutes, sometimes longer, to cook Chinese or Japanese eggplant so the flesh is soft throughout.
2 Fill a medium bowl with ice and water. Transfer the charred eggplant to a bowl and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap to loosen up the skins. Let the eggplant cool for a few minutes (longer is fine if you are cooking multiple eggplants). Transfer all of the cooked eggplant to the ice bath. To remove the skins, reach into the water and run your fingers down the length of the eggplant. Hold the eggplant by the stem, and be careful not to break the flesh. Discard the skin. Use right away, or refrigerate the eggplant for up to 2 days.
Variación:
To Char Globe Eggplants
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Halve the eggplant lengthwise, and place each half, cut-side down, on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast the eggplant until the flesh softens, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how chubby the eggplant is. Flip the eggplant halves once while baking so they color evenly. Remove the eggplants from the oven.
Char each eggplant half directly over a gas flame on the stovetop, skin side facing the flame, until the skin blisters all over, 3 to 4 minutes. Use tongs to char different parts of the skin. Peel the eggplant as directed for Japanese and Chinese eggplant.