Ingredients for Grilled Aubergine Stacks with Tomato and Feta

• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 medium aubergines (1 3/4 to 900g total)

• 1 large tomato (about 4 inches in diameter) and 2 medium tomatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter)

• 90g feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

• Garnish: finely shredded fresh basil leaves

Blend basil with oil and 1/2 teaspoons salt in blender until finely chopped. Pour into a paper-towel- or coffee-filter-lined sieve set over a bowl and let drain 20 minutes. Gather together sides of towel or filter and press gently on it to extract more oil. (You will have a generous 1/3 cup oil.) Reserve 1 tablespoon basil oil separately for serving. Scrape basil solids into a small bowl and reserve.

Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see "Grilling Procedure," below.

While grill heats, cut off bottoms of aubergines, then cut 6 (1/2-inch-thick) crosswise rounds from each, starting from cut end. Reserve remaining aubergine for another use. Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from large tomato and 2 centre slices (1/3 inch thick) from each medium tomato, reserving remaining tomato for another use.

Lightly brush aubergine rounds on both sides with basil oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Grill on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over occasionally, lightly brushing aubergine with more basil oil occasionally if it looks dry, until aubergine is very tender, 6 to 10 minutes. (Leave gas grill on.)

On baking pan, arrange 4 largest aubergine rounds side by side and spread each with a generous 1/2 teaspoons of reserved basil solids, then top each with 1 of 4 largest tomato rounds. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and top each with about 1 tablespoon feta. Make another layer with medium-size aubergine rounds, basil solids, medium tomato rounds, salt, pepper, and feta, then top with remaining aubergine and feta.

Set baking pan on grill and cook stacks, with grill cover closed, until heated through and cheese on top is softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer stacks to 4 plates and drizzle plates with reserved basil oil.

If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows:

Hot: When you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds

Medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds

Low: 5 to 6 seconds

If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.

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