Grilled Chicken Breasts with Eggplant, Shallots and Ginger Sauce

• 1/2 pound shallots (about 6 large)
• 1/4 cup grape seed, corn, or other neutral oil
• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons ground
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, or more to taste, for garnish (optional)

1. Peel the shallots and cut them in half the long way (most large shallots have two lobes anyway and will naturally divide in half as you peel them).
2. If they are small, peel them and leave them whole.
3. Start a grill or preheat the broiler.
4. Put the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the shallots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.
6. Add the eggplant, salt, and pepper and lower the heat to medium.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant softens, about 15 minutes.
8. When the eggplant begins to brown, add half the ginger and cook for another 3 minutes or so, until the eggplant is very tender and the mixture fragrant.
9. Meanwhile, rub the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and the remaining ginger.
10. Grill or broil, about 4 inches from the heat source, for 3 minutes per side, or until done.
11. If youre using the cilantro, stir half into the eggplant mixture.
12. Serve the chicken breasts on a bed of the eggplant and garnish with the remaining herb.
13. For a more traditional dish, substitute garlic for the ginger (or use half of each to make the total) and revert to olive oil.
14. Use fresh parsley in place of cilantro.
15. Stir in a cup or more of seeded and chopped tomatoes at the last minute; these boost color as well as flavor, and the combination of tomatoes and ginger is another unexpectedly pleasant one.
16. (Peel the tomatoes if you like, but I dont think its worth the effort in this case.)

shallots, grape seed, eggplant, salt, ginger, skinless, fresh cilantro

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-chicken-breasts-with-eggplant-shallots-and-ginger-sauce-386652 (may not work)