Greek Pilaf Stuffed Eggplant Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and bake, facedown on oiled tray for 20-25 minutes.
• While eggplant bakes: Heat olive oil in medium saucepan, saute onion, garlic, celery and sunflower seeds. Saute until onions are soft and transparent.
• combine remaining ingredients in medium bowl and add onion mixture.
• Remove eggplant from oven and scoop out a hole from each half. Add insides to rice mixture.
• Scoop mixture into hole in eggplant halves and serve.

Steps:

• Scoop out the insides of the eggplant to within 1/4 inch of the edges. (Score with a sharp paring knige, then scoop out with spoon.) Set eggplant shells aside, and chop the inside. Meanwhile, start sauteing the onion in the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. (You'll need to add the other ingredients later, so make it a large pan.).
• When onions are soft - about 10 minutes, add garlic and chopped eggplant, and more olive oil if needed (the eggplant will soak it up). Continue to saute for several more minutes, until the eggplant is cooked. Add tomato, cinnamon, basil and oregano.
• Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add lemon juice and crumbled feta cheese, combining thoroughly.
• Lightly salt eggplant shells, then stuff them with the mixture, mounding it on top. (If you have leftover mixture, place in a greased casserole dish and bake alongside the eggplant.) Bake in 350°F oven for 35 minutes.
• Serve with Bechamel Sauce and chopped parsley for garnish.
• Bechamel Sauce -.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring until combined. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Add spices with stirring.

Steps:

• Halve 2 of the eggplants lengthwise, score their pulp deeply with a sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the skins, and with a grapefruit knife scoop out the pulp, reserving it and leaving 1/2-inch-thick shells. Sprinkle the shells with salt and invert them on paper towels to drain for 30 minutes. Cut the reserved pulp and the remaining whole eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces, in a colander toss the pieces with the salt, and let them drain for 30 minutes.
• Pat the shells dry with paper towels, brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and broil them on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, or until they are tender. In a skillet heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the eggplant pieces, patted dry, stirring, until they are golden. Stir in the onion and the garlic and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the parsley, the mint, the tomatoes, the Feta, and salt and pepper to taste, and divide the filling among the shells, mounding it. Broil the stuffed eggplants in a large flameproof baking dish for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and golden.