Stuffed Baby Eggplant Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare eggplants by slicing them in half lengthwise.
• Scoop out the inside of the eggplant and cut into cubes.
• Lay cubes on several paper towels and squeeze any moisture out of them by hand.
• Boil shells in a large stockpot for 2 minutes and allow to cool.
• Place a tablespoon of olive oil in a hot skillet. Add eggplant, onion, and garlic and saute.
• In a large mixing bowl, stir the saute mixture into the remaining ingredients and combine well. Add a second tablespoon of water if mixture is too dry. If mixture is too loose, add more bread crumbs.
• Fill the cooled eggplant shells with the mixture.
• Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a hot skillet. Place eggplants top side down in skillet and brown over medium heat.
• Place browned stuffed baby eggplants in a baking dish.
• Drizzle with remaining olive oil and bake for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, add oil. Add the onions, garlic, and salt. Sweat for 3 minutes or until vegetables are translucent and aromatic. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8 hours over low heat, stirring occasionally. Check seasoning.
• Cut eggplants in half, scoop out seeds, and sprinkle with salt, cut side up. Place the eggplant halves on a baking sheet and let sit for 1 hour. Place 1 1/2 ounces of sausage in each eggplant half. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Top each eggplant with some tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Place back into oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife, cut a wedge out of each eggplant, from stem to base, just large enough to stick a spoon inside and scoop out the flesh inside. Discard the flesh you scoop out.
• Coat a large saute pan with the oil and place over medium flame. Lightly fry the eggplants on all sides, until slightly charred and blistered; remove to a platter and set aside.
• Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Add the ground lamb to the pan and brown the meat well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, combine well, and let simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Toss in a couple of handfuls of the parsley, the mint, and lemon juice; continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the stuffing cool slightly. Using a spoon, stuff the lamb filling into the eggplants until they feel full, but not overly packed.
• Arrange the eggplants in a single layer in a large saucepan, pour the chicken stock over them and lay the lemon slices on top of each eggplant, drizzle with some more olive oil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Steps:

• Hollow out each eggplant with a melon-ball cutter, working from bottom end and leaving about 1/3 inch eggplant flesh along interior walls.
• Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry pine nuts, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup onion mixture to bowl with pine nuts. Add stock, tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet and simmer, uncovered, while stuffing eggplant.
• Add rice, meat, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl with onion mixture and mix well with your hands.
• Stuff eggplant with meat mixture, being careful not to pack tightly (rice will expand during cooking). Transfer stuffed eggplants to skillet with tomato sauce and simmer, covered, carefully turning once, until rice is cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour (cut 1 in half to test).
• If sauce is watery, transfer eggplant to a plate and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning if necessary. Return stuffed eggplant to sauce. Squeeze lemon over dish and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise then make shallow cuts in cut side at 1/2-inch intervals.
• Brush cut sides with 1 teaspoon olive oil and place eggplants, cut-side down, on greased baking sheet.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until tender with fork, remove from oven to cool and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.
• In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat until hot.
• Add garlic, onion and red pepper; sauté for one minute until tender.
• Next, add rice through tomatoes, stir together well.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp from each halve leaving 1/2-inch thick shells and set shells aside.
• Chop pulp, add to rice mixture and mix well.
• Spoon mixture evenly into eggplant shells, sprinkle with cheese, cover and bake for 20 minutes.
• Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Garnish with more fresh basil and feta cheese, if desired.