EGGPLANT THE SLIT BELLY

Greetings, fellow food explorers! Welcome to the eggplant showdown!

In this episode we are going to work with eggplants, obviously. After roasting them in the oven, we’ll cut them open and stuff them. It’s absolutely delicious and an easy recipe.

The eggplant recipe: It’s vegan, but with a beefy twist!

Our recipe is decidedly vegan, but fear not, carnivores! You have the option to dabble in the realm of ground beef. However, should you choose to go the vegan route, rest assured that the eggplant will bear the brunt of our culinary creativity. With that subliminal pep talk out of the way, let the cooking madness begin. 😊

IMPRESS WITHOUT EFFORT 🎩🍽️

Imagine this scenario: You’ve graciously invited guests over and you’re determined not to serve a mundane meal. Or maybe your family’s collective sigh at the thought of another pasta or potato dish has reached a crescendo. They sit at the table, ravenous but sceptical of your cooking skills.

But we are going to surprise them!

And why, you ask?

Because with just half an hour in the kitchen, you’ll transform yourself into a culinary maestro, leaving your guests in awe.

Is this cheating, you ask? Of course it is! And it’s incredibly fun! 🎉Eggplants, please to the stage!

Beautiful Together 🍽️🍷

Of course, an eggplant alone on a plate lacks pizzazz. Let’s create a menu! What is the perfect accompaniment to our ‘Eggplant the Slit Belly’? Why, it’s the sumptuous Yellow Pilaf, of course! While our eggplant is sizzling in the oven, we’ll be whipping up the pilaf. The recipe is right here: Yellow pilaf / Rice

Oh, but that’s not all! We’re also making the Fastest Fork Wins Salad, a dish that lives up to its name. Turn your meals into a mini-competition, but be careful not to skewer the hands of your guests or your spouse (depending on your intentions) with a fork! Find the recipe here:

Let the culinary carnival begin! 🎪🍆

For this gastronomic adventure, we’ll need six normal-sized, non-mutant eggplants.

For the stuffing:

2 medium onions
2 tomatoes
2 green peppers
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
Half a bunch of parsley (keep some for garnishing)
Oil, salt, black pepper
1 packet of vegan ground beef or 200g ground beef
Half a glass of hot water

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup of hot water (don’t choke the eggplants.)

You can put the parsley in the cup and chop it with kitchen scissors:

Let the Delicious and Easy Eggplant Show Begin

Firstly, we start by giving our eggplants a good scrubbing and relaxing them. Then, with a maniacal “Ni HoHo Ha” laugh, we make the cut. In the oven, preheated to 200 degrees (Fahrenheit), we place our eggplants on a bed of greaseproof paper with the cuts facing upwards. After 10 minutes, open the oven and have a look.

Using tongs (I don’t know why I mentioned this), turn the eggplants over. They’ll be a bit snotty when they’re perfectly cooked. After about 20 minutes, they should be soft on the inside.

Meanwhile, let’s make the filling.

Filling, Filling (I’m singing my Beat It cover here)

Firstly, fry the chopped onion in a frying pan till it gets yellowish, add the minced meat and fry for a while, then add the peppers and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.

Secondly, add 2 tomato cubes, parsley, salt, spices and mix. (You can also add tomato paste).
Add half a glass of water and boil for 5 minutes.

Remove the roasted eggplants and crush the soft flesh inside by inserting a fork and spoon through the slit. Make sure to leave some space for the filling. You can also take what is left at the edges and spread it over the bottom of the eggplant by crushing it. If the crusts are too thick, cut them off with kitchen scissors and discard. Or you can make a few lines using peeler.

Afterwards divide the filling evenly between the eggplants. You can cut a cherry tomato in half and place it on top.
Now you can either put them back in the oven or put them on an ovenproof dish and add the sauce.

To make the sauce, mix 1 tablespoon of tomato paste with 1 cup of hot water. Pour it over the top without touching the mince.

Eggplants in a red liquid… Well… This process can make you look really ruthless.

Set the oven to 170 degrees. Place the tray somewhere in the middle. They’ll be done in 20-25 minutes. You can garnish with parsley and capia peppers.

What was I supposed to do while eggplant was cooking?

Chiefly, pilaf my dear. And a salad while the pilaf is cooking.
I’m going to do you a favour and give you the links so you don’t have to read the whole post: Yellow pilaf / Rice
Thanks in advance! You did it! Show off.

Note: The eggplant in the deep bowl next to the pilaf, turned upside down, looks very nice, but if your child is as annoying as mine, don’t waste time making an aesthetic presentation for them. So, place the pilaf on a plate. Take out the eggplant with a spoon and add it to the rice. Mix well.
Done 😊

Congratulations. I think you’re a great cook!

Lastly, if you are curious about the nutritional value of eggplant, you can check this site: https://www.verywellfit.com/eggplant-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4118571#toc-eggplant-nutrition-facts