Moroccan Lentil-Stuffed Eggplant
I am quite picky about how I like to eat my eggplants as when it isn’t cooked just right and the texture is off then I really don’t like it.
Recipe from https://minimalistbaker.com/moroccan-lentil-stuffed-eggplant/
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Serving: 4
Ingredients:
2kg or 4 small eggplants
30ml avocado or coconut oil (if avoiding oil, sub water)
1 pinch sea salt
1 batch Moroccan-Spiced Lentils (see recipe below)
375g crushed tomatoes (crushed are best for flavor and texture // can sub diced or puréed tomatoes)
1/4 tsp each each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (plus more to taste)
TOPPING
7g parmesan cheese
8g panko bread crumbs
FOR SERVING (optional)
Fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
White or brown rice or cauliflower rice
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and get out a 9x13-inch (or similar size) baking dish.
To a large saucepan or rimmed skillet, add Moroccan-Spiced Lentils, crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat over medium heat until bubbling. Then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt and pepper for overall flavor or paprika for smokiness.
See notes if thinly slicing and rolling the eggplant. Otherwise, use a knife to cut an angled divot out of the center of your eggplants. Then use a spoon to scrape out a hollow center. Leave enough eggplant flesh so it's sturdy enough to hold the lentils (see photo). (Save leftover eggplant to make things like Eggplant Curry, Persian Eggplant Dip, or Baba Ganoush.)
Heat a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and the eggplant cut-side down and cover - you may have to do this in two (or more if increasing batch size) batches depending on the size of your pan. Cook on one side for 4-5 minutes or until slightly charred. Then flip the eggplant over on the other side, cover, and cook for 4-5 minutes more. You're looking for the eggplant to be softened and browned on the outside.
Once the eggplant is cooked, place cut-side up in your baking dish and top with lentils. There should be plenty to fill the eggplant and some overflow, which can be spooned down into the dish. Top with vegan parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the eggplant is soft and browned and the lentils are bubbling. The bread crumbs should be browned.
Serve as is or over rice or cauliflower rice (optional). Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro (optional) for color and flavor.
Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.
Moroccan-Spiced Lentils
Recipe from https://minimalistbaker.com/saucy-moroccan-spiced-lentils/
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
Serving: 6
Ingredients:
480ml water
192g green lentils (rinsed and well drained // or sub canned lentils lightly rinsed and well drained)
9g or 1.5tbsp garlic (skins removed)
55g onion (or 2 small shallots // chopped)
150g red bell pepper (or use 2 small), seeds removed, roughly chopped
30g tomato paste
18g coconut sugar or maple syrup (or stevia to taste)
1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
7g smoked or sweet paprika (plus more to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (plus more to taste)
1 tsp ground ginger (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to preferred spice level)
22ml apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
22g fresh chopped parsley or cilantro (I used 1/2 cilantro + 1/2 parsley)
Instructions:
Cook lentils first by bringing water to a boil and adding lentils. Bring back to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
In the meantime, to a food processor or small blender, add garlic*, onion or shallot*, bell pepper, tomato paste, coconut sugar, sea salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Mix to thoroughly combine.
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more tomato paste for depth of flavor, spices for more overall flavor (especially coriander and paprika), cayenne for heat, coconut sugar for sweetness, apple cider vinegar for acidity, or salt for saltiness. Set aside.
Once the lentils have cooked, drain off any excess liquid and then add spice mixture and parsley or cilantro and mix well to combine (see photo).
Enjoy immediately with salads, rice (or cauliflower rice), bowls, and more. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.