Grilled Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Pistachios

This was in a Whole Foods magazine. I'll keep their brand name in the ingredients list. If you want to ignore some of the specifics in the ingredient list I can't stop you.

• 1/2 C 365 Everyday Value tahini
• 1/2 C lukewarm water
• 1 large clove garlic
• juice of 1 lemon, divided
• 2 T 365 Everyday Value extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 t kosher sea salt, divided
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 4 medium Japanese eggplant
• 3 T chopped roasted, unsalted pistachios

Heat grill to medium-high

Combine tahini, water, garlic, 3 T lemon juice, 1T olive oil, 1/2 t salt, and cumin in a food processor or blender. Puree until very smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Add more water and/or lemon juice 1 T at a time if necessary to make a thick, pourable sauce.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into slices between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick. For a fanned presentation, slice all the way down into the stem end but not through it, so that each eggplant can be fanned out from the stem. Place on sheet pan; brush all cut sides and outside with remaining 1 T oil. Sprinkle all cut sides and outside with salt.

Scrape grill grate clean and coat with oil (use tongs to rub oily paper towel over grates). Fan out eggplant on grill using tongs. Grill eggplant until tender and grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Eggplant will fan out more easily as it cooks.

Spread a generous amount of tahini sauce on a platter. Arrange eggplants over sauce and drizzle with more tahini sauce. Garnish with pistachios; serve with remaining sauce.