Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant Aubergine Recipes

MOROCCAN STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Leaving the stem on, slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and place it, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until tender.
• Saute the onion, garlic and spices in 3 T olive oil until the onion is translucent. Stir often to prevent burning.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the 2 T of olive oil. Toss the rice and lentils in the hot oil for a couple of minutes until the color of the rice changes to golden-brown. Immediately add 2 cups of water (stand back! It will splatter), bring it to a boil and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat.
• Add the rice, chickpeas and raisins.
• Stir in the sauteed onion-tomato mixture, the lemon juice and the parsley. Add garam masala, hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
• Turn the baked eggplant halves over in the baking pan. With a fork or spoon, mash the pulp a little, taking care not to break the skin. Push aside some of the pulp to make a hollow in the middle if desired. Mound half of the filling on each half.
• Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with feta cheese and serve.

MOROCCAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) FRITTERS

Steps:

• Microwave eggplant until tender.
• Transfer to processor and puree.
• Whisk puree with 2 eggs, 1 cup breadcrumbs and all ingredients up to and including cardamon (mixture will be very soft).
• Place 1 rounded tablespoonful of mixture into flour and turn to coat.
• Dip into beaten eggs, then in remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs to coat.
• Flatten between palms of hands forming 3 inch oval patties.
• Transfer to baking sheet.
• Repeat, using up all of eggplant mixture.
• Heat 3 inches of oil (olive oil is best but vegetable oil can be substituted) in large saucepan until hot.
• Add patties and cook until golden-brown, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• (may be prepared 2 hours ahead, let stand at room temperature) Serve hot or at room temperature with tzatziki.

MOROCCAN STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Using a small knife and a spoon, carefully remove the flesh from the eggplant halves without breaking the skin, and chop the flesh coarsely.
• Place the eggplant halves onto a baking tray, cut side up, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until tender.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, over a medium heat, and sauté the eggplant flesh for 3-5 minutes, until it is golden and tender; remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, heat the remaining oil over a high heat and sauté the onion and garlic for 1 minute, then add the ground meat and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is well browned, breaking up the lumps as it browns with the back of a spoon.
• Return the eggplant to the pan, add the Moroccan seasoning and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the tomato, pine nuts and sugar and season to taste.
• Fill the eggplant halves with the meat mixture and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and tender.
• Serve with the tomato and cucumber salad and fresh crusty bread.
• Tomato and Cucumber Salad: Chop the cucumber and toss the cucumber pieces and halved cherry tomatoes with the olive oil and red wine vinegar and season to taste.

IMAM BAILDI AKA STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Cut ends off the eggplants/aubergines.
• Make an opening for the stuffing by using a sharp knife and slicing the eggplant from the stem end down to the other, make sure that you don't cut them all the way through.
• In a skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over a medium heat.
• Fry the eggplant gently.
• If needed, you can add some more oil in the frying pan.
• Remove the eggplant from the skillet and place in an 8"x8" baking dish.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Add the remainder of the olive oil to the same skillet.
• Sautee the onions and garlic in it until they are slightly golden being careful to not burn the garlic.
• You want the vegetables soft.
• Add the fresh tomatoes and half a cupful of water to the skillet.
• Add the oregano, sugar, more salt and pepper.
• Simmer covered, for 15 minutes.
• Remove stuffing from heat.
• Fill the eggplants with this stuffing.
• They will be slightly open as they don't need to be closed back over the stuffing mixture so be very generous.
• Bake for 4O minutes; basting them at least once.

MUSHROOM STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Halve the eggplant lengthwise. With a serrated spoon or a knife, scoop out pulp of eggplant, leaving about a 1/2" shell.
• Place shells on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake in oven for about 10-12 minutes.
• While eggplant shells are in oven, finely chop the eggplant pulp.
• In a pan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add eggplant pulp, onion, parsley, salt, oregano, garlic and mushrooms. Cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until eggplant pulp and mushroom are tender -- about 10 minutes or so.
• Stir in parmesan cheese and HALF of the breadcrumbs.
• Turn oven down to 350°F Remove eggplant shells.
• Spoon mixture into eggplant shells.
• Mix remaining half of breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle over filled eggplant.
• Place filled eggplant shells back in the oven bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.

MOUSSAKA-STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Halve the eggplants lengthwise and score the interior of each half, leaving about a third of an inch thickness on the perimeter.
• Use a paring knife and a spoon to scoop out the interior of the eggplant, leaving a 'boat.'.
• Using a fork, pierce the skin in several places, liberally salt the halves and place them upside down on paper towels to drain for about 30 minutes.
• Chop the eggplant flesh into 1/2" cubes and set aside 4 cups of the cubes (reserve any excess for another recipe).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Wipe the eggplant shells out with paper towels, brush the skin lightly with a little olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet.
• Bake them until they are just tender (about ten minutes) then remove from the oven and set aside in a baking dish.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add the lamb and cook, breaking up the pieces, until lightly browned--about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion, garlic, 4 cups of eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft--about five more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, cloves, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne and cook until the mixture is fairly dry.
• Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the ricotta.
• Season to taste and spoon into the 4 eggplant halves.
• Place the remaining 1 and 1/3 cups of ricotta in a small bowl and stir in the nutmeg and enough milk until the consistency of the cheese mixture is spreadable.
• Spread it over the filled eggplant halves and sprinkle the tops with parmesan.
• Bake until the tops are very brown--25 to 35 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CREOLE STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the butter and olive oil together in large skillet.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and saute over low heat until the onion is translucent.
• Add the diced bell pepper and continue to saute until the onion is golden.
• In the meantime, stem the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise.
• With a sharp knife, score each half several times lengthwise and across, carefully removing the pulp.
• Leave a sturdy shell of about 1/4" all around.
• Chop the eggplant pulp and add it to the skillet mixture along with all the remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs.
• Add a bit of water, just enough to keep the mixture moist.
• Simmer, covered, over low heat until the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the bread crumbs.
• Set the eggplant shells in an oiled shallow baking dish, which should be of a size that they can be securely propped up against each other.
• Stuff the eggplant shells with the sauteed mixture, then drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of melted butter apiece.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until the shells are tender but not collapsed.
• Serve with a bit of grated Parmesan for garnish.
• Note: if you do not like green bell pepper, you might want to try substituting with orange, yellow, or red bell pepper.