Greek Style Stuffed Eggplant Food

GREEK STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scoop out flesh from the halves, leaving about 1/2-inch border on the sides and bottoms. Coarsely chop the flesh and set aside.
• Drizzle the insides of the eggplant shells evenly with 1 tablespoon oil. Place the shells, cut-side up, on the prepared baking sheet and roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to broil.
• While the eggplant roasts, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin, and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, bell pepper and the reserved chopped eggplant; cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in parsley, olives and vinegar.
• Divide the filling evenly among the eggplant shells; top each with 3 tablespoons feta. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh oregano and dill, if desired.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Halve two of the eggplants lengthwise, score there pulp deeply with a sharp knife (careful not to pierce the skins).
• With a grapefruit knife, scoop out the pulp, reserving it, and leaving 1/2-inch thick shells.
• Sprinkle the shells with salt and pepper; invert (turn over) on paper towels to drain for 30 minutes.
• Cut the reserved pulp, and the remaining whole eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Transfer to a colander; toss with salt, and let them drain for 30 minutes.
• Pat the shells dry with paper towels, brush them with 1 Tbsp oil.
• Broil them on a rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler, about 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, or until they are tender.
• In a skillet, heat the remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil over moderately high heat until it is hot, but not smoking.
• Saute the eggplant pieces (that have been patted dry), stirring until they are golden.
• Stir in the chopped onion and the garlic; cook over medium heat until onion is softened.
• Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the parsley, mint, tomatoes and feta cheese, adding salt and pepper to taste; stir to combine.
• Divide the filling among the shells mounding/heaping it.
• Broil the stuffed eggplants in a large flameproof baking dish for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and golden-- delicious!

GREEK STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Scoop out the insides of the eggplant to within 1/4 inch of the edges. (Score with a sharp paring knige, then scoop out with spoon.) Set eggplant shells aside, and chop the inside. Meanwhile, start sauteing the onion in the olive oil over medium heat in a large frying pan. (You'll need to add the other ingredients later, so make it a large pan.).
• When onions are soft - about 10 minutes, add garlic and chopped eggplant, and more olive oil if needed (the eggplant will soak it up). Continue to saute for several more minutes, until the eggplant is cooked. Add tomato, cinnamon, basil and oregano.
• Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add lemon juice and crumbled feta cheese, combining thoroughly.
• Lightly salt eggplant shells, then stuff them with the mixture, mounding it on top. (If you have leftover mixture, place in a greased casserole dish and bake alongside the eggplant.) Bake in 350°F oven for 35 minutes.
• Serve with Bechamel Sauce and chopped parsley for garnish.
• Bechamel Sauce -.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, stirring until combined. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Add spices with stirring.

GREEK STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT/SUMMER SQUASH/ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• day one.
• coat zucchini with light coating of olive oil or other fat.
• roast zucchini in 400-450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• meanwhile, in a large frying pan BROWN the meat on medium-high heat, but keeping it slightly undercooked.
• lower flame to medium, and add thyme, oregano, salt & pepper.
• chop onions & add.
• mince garlic & add.
• chop tomato & add.
• measure wine & deglaze with it.
• cool both the zucchini and meat mixture, & store in fridge til next day.
• day two.
• blend together: butter, breadcrumbs & cheese, and set aside.
• slice squash lengthwise, scoop center, chop the scooped zucchini "meat," & add to meat mixture.
• lay zucchini shells in a baking pan.
• add 1 egg and breadcrumbs to meat mixture.
• fill zucchini shells with meat mixture.
• top with breadcrumbs & cheese mixture.
• bake at 400 for 40 minutes or until crumb mixture is browned.

GREEK PILAF STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut eggplants in half lengthwise and bake, facedown on oiled tray for 20-25 minutes.
• While eggplant bakes: Heat olive oil in medium saucepan, saute onion, garlic, celery and sunflower seeds. Saute until onions are soft and transparent.
• combine remaining ingredients in medium bowl and add onion mixture.
• Remove eggplant from oven and scoop out a hole from each half. Add insides to rice mixture.
• Scoop mixture into hole in eggplant halves and serve.

GREEK-STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Halve 2 of the eggplants lengthwise, score their pulp deeply with a sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the skins, and with a grapefruit knife scoop out the pulp, reserving it and leaving 1/2-inch-thick shells. Sprinkle the shells with salt and invert them on paper towels to drain for 30 minutes. Cut the reserved pulp and the remaining whole eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces, in a colander toss the pieces with the salt, and let them drain for 30 minutes.
• Pat the shells dry with paper towels, brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and broil them on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, or until they are tender. In a skillet heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it sauté the eggplant pieces, patted dry, stirring, until they are golden. Stir in the onion and the garlic and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the parsley, the mint, the tomatoes, the Feta, and salt and pepper to taste, and divide the filling among the shells, mounding it. Broil the stuffed eggplants in a large flameproof baking dish for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and golden.