COOKBOOK: 200 Budget Meals
I know that I have been cooking recipes with aubergine/eggplant frequently in the last few weeks but this vegetable is just delicious!
Here’s a fun fact for you! Aubergine/eggplant is known to us as a vegetable but in fact it is a fruit!
They are a good source of fibre, B1 & B6 & potassium. The leaves are poisonous and should never be eaten.
It’s a great vegetable/ fruit to cook with as it is inexpensive in most parts of the world
Enjoy
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Recipe
Serves 4
2 aubergines / eggplants
Salt & pepper
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 gloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 tablespoon dry italian herbs
250g can of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
400g mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
Remove the green top of the eggplants. Rinse under cold water. Slice each in half lengthways.
Sprinkle a considerable amount of salt on the flesh side of each half. This will extract the bitter juices.
Set to the side for 10mins.
You will see that there has been a layer of liquid forming on the top or each half of the aubergine/eggplant. Take kitchen paper towels and pat each to absorb as much of this liquid as possible.
Pre heat the oven, 180C
Remove the flesh from each half, leaving 1cm of border to form a shell. Place the shells facing upwards on a flat oven tray lined with greaseproof paper. Bake in moderate oven for 20mins. Remove from oven and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the garlic, stir for a few seconds, add the onion and fry until almost caramelised. Add pepper ( and a small amount salt) , chopped canned tomatoes, dry italian herbs, tomato paste, mix well. Simmer for 5mins. Remove from heat.
Fill each aubergine/eggplant shell with tomato mixture. Top each with slices of mozzarella. Place in moderate oven and bake until cheese has melted and is slightly golden, approx 5mins. Ready to serve.
