August 13, 2020
Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant
Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant
Great as a vegetarian main or as a side next to your favorite protein.
Bon Appetit!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 large eggplants
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
For spice mixture:
- 3/4 tsp allspice
- ¾ tsp coriander
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
For the Filling:
- 1 cup dry couscous
- 1 cup canned or cooked chickpeas drained
- 1 Roma tomato small diced
- 1 green onion chopped
- Handful fresh parsley finely chopped
METHOD
- Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Season the flesh with kosher salt. Set aside, flesh side up, for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the eggplant to “sweat.” Pat dry with a paper towel. (This is an optional step but can make a big difference).
- Heat the oven to 200 Celsius.
- In a small bowl, mix together the spices (allspice, coriander, paprika, and ground cinnamon).
- Pat eggplant dry. Brush the flesh with extra virgin olive oil. Set aside about 1 tsp of the spice mixture and use the rest to season the eggplant (rub the spice mixture all over the top of each eggplant half.)
- Roast the Eggplant . Place eggplant halves, flesh side up, on a generously oiled sheet pan. Bake in the heated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the eggplant flesh is nice and tender.
- Cook the instant couscous, while the eggplant is roasting. Heat a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and cook briefly, stirring regularly, until toasted. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the couscous and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes until the couscous is cooked (it will double in size).
- Make the filling . Fluff the couscous with a fork and season with a dash of salt and the 1 tsp of spice mixture you reserved earlier. Add chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, green onions, and parsley. Toss to combine.
- Assemble the stuffed eggplant. Arrange the roasted eggplant on a serving platter, flesh side up. With the back of a spoon, push the flesh down to create somewhat of a cavity for the couscous filling. Spoon in the couscous filling. Enjoy!
Ingredients 450g salmon fillet ½ teaspoon salt, divided ¼ teaspoon ground pepper 30g string beans (green, yellow, or a mix), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 ¾ cups water ¾ cup quinoa (red, white, or tricolored), rinsed 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish, or 1/2 tsp. dried 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese ¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved or sliced Instructions Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. Place salmon filet on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/8 tsp. salt and pepper. Bake until the salmon is no longer opaque in the center and flakes easily with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then flake the salmon into bite-size pieces (discard the skin). Meanwhile, bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add 8 ounces beans; cover and cook until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Rinse the beans under cold water, drain well, and set aside. Combine 1 ¾ water, ¾ quinoa, and 1/8 tsp. salt in the saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Whisk 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped oregano, and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a small bowl. To serve, divide the quinoa among 4 dinner bowls. Arrange the salmon, beans, tomato, feta, and olives over the quinoa. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with more fresh oregano, if desired. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 480kcal | Protein: 30g | Fat: 28g | Carbohydrates: 28g
In this bulletin...
Ingredients 500g barramundi fillets 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and black pepper, to taste 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved ½ cup mixed olives, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp capers, drained Zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped Lemon wedges, to serve Instructions Prepare the Barramundi Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Pat the barramundi fillets dry and season with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Place them on a lined baking tray. 2. Make the Tomato & Olive Medley In a bowl, mix cherry tomatoes, olives, garlic, capers, lemon zest, and half the parsley. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Roast and Serve Spoon the tomato and olive mixture over the fish. Roast in the oven for 12–15 minutes until the barramundi is opaque and flakes easily. Remove from the oven, garnish with the remaining parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve warm. Nutrition and Cooking Times Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes Nutrient Value per serve: Calories: 350kcal | Protein: 35g | Fat: 4g | Carbohydrates: 10g