Cool Weather Cuisine (Part 1)
It's eggplant season folks and my culinary friend has reminded me about their availability this fall. Most people are kind of apprehensive when it comes to trying out these beautiful cool weather vegetables.
I'd like to encourage you to put aside your fears and apprehensions to enjoy this delicious healthy recipe designed to change your mind and fill your belly.
Simple Eggplant Extravaganza
I'd like to encourage you to put aside your fears and apprehensions to enjoy this delicious healthy recipe designed to change your mind and fill your belly.
Simple Eggplant Extravaganza
2 large, purple eggplants
1 cup of uncooked brown rice
1 medium red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
2 large tomatoes
3 tsp of kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups of water
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of uncooked brown rice
1 medium red onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp. fresh oregano
2 large tomatoes
3 tsp of kosher salt and black pepper
3 cups of water
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
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| all your ingredients laid out |
prep
Cook brown rice in 3 cups of water for about 1 hour (or until tender). Set aside after cooking.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut both eggplants in half length wise (peel the skin off if so desired). Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the meat of the eggplant leaving at least 1/2 inch intact. Cube one of the two eggplants, set aside. Brush olive oil over all pieces (including lateral cut sections) of eggplant. Lightly salt all pieces.
Rough chop and saute red onion and add 2 of cloves garlic in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add cubed eggplant and saute until slightly soft. Cube your tomatoes and mix them together with the cubed eggplant stirring for about 2-5 minutes then gradually add chopped oregano until mixed thoroughly. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Sauce:
Combine 2 cups of plain yogurt w/1 clove of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Refrigerate until eggplant is cooked.
Remove from heat and add brown rice. Stuff this into the eggplant shells and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Top with chilled yogurt sauce mixture.
Try this recipe out and let us know what you think. Anything you'd change or add to make it more interesting?
Leave a comment below and we'll talk about it!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut both eggplants in half length wise (peel the skin off if so desired). Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the meat of the eggplant leaving at least 1/2 inch intact. Cube one of the two eggplants, set aside. Brush olive oil over all pieces (including lateral cut sections) of eggplant. Lightly salt all pieces.
Rough chop and saute red onion and add 2 of cloves garlic in 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil until translucent. Add cubed eggplant and saute until slightly soft. Cube your tomatoes and mix them together with the cubed eggplant stirring for about 2-5 minutes then gradually add chopped oregano until mixed thoroughly. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Sauce:
Combine 2 cups of plain yogurt w/1 clove of minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Refrigerate until eggplant is cooked.
Remove from heat and add brown rice. Stuff this into the eggplant shells and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the eggplant is soft. Top with chilled yogurt sauce mixture.
Try this recipe out and let us know what you think. Anything you'd change or add to make it more interesting?
Leave a comment below and we'll talk about it!
Yum! I just tried this recipe out for myself (before adding it to my Thanksgiving menu) and I have to say you have done it again, Kurt! This one's a real winner and should work perfect as a side dish for my family's Thanksgiving meal.
ReplyDeleteOne question though, to make this dish really pop with the rest of my fixin's, what if I added a little sage to the uncooked brown rice. That wouldn't throw it off too much would it?
Thanks for commenting 2much2much!
ReplyDeleteI really don't deserve the praise you're giving me. My culinary friend deserves all the credit for creating this great dish (though she might feel a bit undeserved as well..).
As far as altering the recipe, I would probably be too reluctant to change it (in spite of the holidays). Sage is a wonderful herb and seasoning, but it is also quite powerful as well. The delicate balance of flavorings may become overshadowed by sage's unmistakable presence.
Again, just like your health, your food is your choice.
Thanks again for commenting!
I agree with 2much2much. This is a very tasty meal.
ReplyDelete