Stuffed Eggplant with Mushrooms, Bulgur and Vegetables

1. Stuffed eggplants are best made from young fruit in which the seeds have not yet formed. Overripe eggplants not only contain a lot of hard seeds but also contain solanine, which is unpleasant, and such fruit is best not eaten without serious processing. The ideal fruits for this dish are at the stage of so-called technical ripeness.

   

Preparing the bulgur

1. The eggplants with bulgur will only be baked, so the grain must be ready by the time you stuff them. I do not boil bulgur, I just steam it. Pour water into a small thick-walled pot, the same volume as the grain you are cooking. Add a pinch of salt, black pepper and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Bring the water to a boil and add the bulgur.

   

2. Stir and take the pot off the heat. Stir the grain from time to time so it does not clump or stick to the bottom. After 10-15 mins the bulgur will be soft and fluffy, and you can make not only stuffed vegetables with it but also tabbouleh salad.

   

Preparing the vegetable filling

1. Wash all the vegetables and mushrooms thoroughly. The vegetable and mushroom filling is made quickly and in sequence, so it is best to chop all the ingredients and set them out in separate bowls. Peel and finely chop the onion. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a pan and fry the onion until lightly golden.

   

2. While the onion fries, slice the button mushrooms. Wild mushrooms are the best option, and then the dish turns out especially tasty. Porcini or bay boletes are fine, as you like. Add the mushrooms to the onion and fry everything together for 4-5 mins, stirring.

   

3. Peel the ripe tomato. You can simply cut the skin off with a sharp knife, as you would peel a potato. Or scald the tomato with boiling water and rinse with cold water, and the skin will slip off like plastic film. Remove the seeds and dice the flesh finely. Add the tomato to the onion and mushrooms, add salt and pepper, a knife-tip of ground nutmeg, 1-2 pinches of sugar and ground hot pepper to taste. Peel and finely chop the garlic and add it to the filling.

   

4. Fry the filling for 4-5 mins over medium heat. Then add the steamed bulgur and the finely chopped basil. Mix the grain with the vegetables, take the pan off the heat and cover with a lid.

   

Preparing the eggplants

1. Wash the young eggplants and pat them dry with a napkin. With the tip of a knife make shallow lengthwise cuts along the fruit, just cutting through the dark glossy skin. Cut out a lengthwise “pocket” for the filling. Then, with a teaspoon, scrape out a boat-shaped hollow for the stuffing. Immediately brush the hollow and the surface of the fruit with a little vegetable oil.

   

2. In the meantime the filling has cooled a little, which is normal, and it is harder to stuff with hot filling, as you could burn yourself. It is best to bake the eggplants in a small ceramic or glass dish that is just the length of the fruits. Grease the dish with vegetable oil and lay the eggplants in it with the “pocket” facing up.

   

3. Fill the hollows with a spoon, pressing the stuffing in lightly so it sits tightly. Stuff them generously, heaping it up. If there is a little filling left, you can scatter it in the dish under the stuffed eggplants, where it will cook and make a tasty addition to the dish. Wrap the green stem end of each eggplant in food foil so it burns less.

   

Baking the stuffed eggplants

1. You can bake the stuffed eggplants with vegetables in the oven at 180°C. But it is faster and easier to use the microwave, where the stuffed eggplants bake in just 10-12 mins. Right before cooking, drizzle the filling with a little vegetable oil. Bake the eggplants until the skin wrinkles and the flesh is completely soft and a knife goes in without effort.

   

2. Carefully take the finished eggplants out of the oven and move them to a plate, one per serving. If you can, put 1-2 lettuce leaves under each eggplant. Add sliced cucumbers and tomatoes as a side and sprinkle the stuffed eggplants with finely chopped basil.

   

3. Serve the stuffed eggplants with bulgur and vegetables while they are hot. This tasty, filling dish, served for breakfast, will keep you full until lunch. As a bonus, you can add pickled bell peppers and white bread. Enjoy!