Page 91 - The Mediterranean Refresh
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Serves: 4   Eggplant is an extremely  versatile  vegetable and is the
                            hero of so many Mediterranean dishes, just like this one.
                            While there are many stuffed-eggplant recipes (and why
                            not—who doesn’t like a stuffed eggplant?), we love what
        LUNCH               we have created with this one. Using tuna and anchovies
                            boosts this dish’s nutritional profile and its flavor, which is
                            then balanced out beautifully with the feta cheese, capers
                            and olives. If you are after a vegetarian option, replace the
        THE MEDITERRANEAN REFRESH  Tuna-Stuffed Eggplants
                            anchovies and tuna with cooked chickpeas or cannellini
                            beans that have been roughly chopped.









               INGREDIENTS

               2 large eggplants      INSTRUCTIONS
                                      1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F.
               1–2 tsp. coarsely      2.  Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and scoop
               ground sea salt
                                      out the flesh, leaving a ½" shell. Finely dice the
               ¼ cup olive oil        pulp, sprinkle well with salt and place in a
               2 tomatoes, diced      colander set in the sink.

               1½ cups fresh bread    3.  Sprinkle the insides of the eggplant shells with
               crumbs                 salt and place them cut side down on a paper

               7 oz. canned tuna in   towel. Allow the eggplant pulp and shells to drain
               water, drained         for 30 minutes.
               6 anchovy fillets,     4.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat.
               finely chopped         Add the well-drained eggplant pulp and cook until
               ½ cup finely minced    lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and stir until
               black olives           the liquid is evaporated, about 12 minutes.
               2 tbsp. minced capers  5.  Add the bread crumbs, tuna, anchovies, olives,

               1 tbsp. finely chopped   capers, basil and parsley. Cook the mixture for
               basil                  2 more minutes.
               1 tbsp. chopped        6.  Place the eggplant shells in a foil-lined baking
               Italian parsley        dish. Divide the eggplant-tomato mixture among
               ½ cup grated           the shells and sprinkle over the grated mozzarella
               mozzarella cheese      cheese and crumbled feta cheese. Place in the
               ½ cup crumbled feta    oven and bake for 1 hour. Serve hot and crispy!
               cheese


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