It goes without saying, eggplant is beloved in many cuisines. It has been considered the ‘queen of the garden’ with it’s almost purple-black, glossy skin and cap-like crown.
Eggplants are bitter when raw but develop a savory and complex flavor when cooked. The texture of the flesh is meaty and easily absorbs sauces and cooking liquids.
Native to the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan area, they have been cultivated in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. Cultivars in the 18th century were white to pale yellow in color and resembled hen’s eggs which explains the reason this fruit is called ‘eggplant’. There are dozens of eggplant subspecies grown throughout the world in many shapes and sizes.
The most popular one we see here in North America is the dark purple ‘globe’ eggplant which ranges in weight from 1-5 pounds. When buying them, look for ones with smooth, firm, unwrinkled skin and a fresh looking green stalk or cap. Eggplant is commonly used in ratatouille, pasta dishes, spreads, dips, moussaka or stuffed and roasted.
Today, I’m making a stuffed version with an interesting fresh basil-chicken filling.
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- 1 large eggplant
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 100 grams fresh mushrooms, chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 125 grams ground chicken
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 10-20 grams (1/4 cup) fresh basil, chopped
- 1/3 cup roasted red peppers, roughly chopped (bottled)
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds PLUS more for sprinkling on top
- 30 grams cheddar cheese, grated
- 10 grams freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Ingredients
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- Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise; carefully hollow out each half. Roughly chop the removed flesh.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil & saute onion until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped eggplant, mushrooms & garlic. Cook until eggplant is tender, about 7-8 minutes. Add ground chicken, oregano, salt & pepper. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in in roasted red peppers, cooked rice & fresh basil; remove skillet from the heat. Place eggplant halves in a baking dish & fill with chicken/rice mixture. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds; drizzle with remaining olive oil & bake 30-35 minutes until tender.
- Remove eggplant from oven & top with grated cheeses.