janet-in-nc
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Does anyone have a really good recipe for stuffed eggplant? NT TIA
- Thread starter janet-in-nc
- Start date
Baked Stuffed Eggplant - Comfort Food - Sue/SoCal
My mom made the best Stuffed Eggplant Boats, this recipe was a family favorite during the late 40’s and early ‘50’s. We considered it to be very exotic and international! Now I think of it as comfort food. She got it from a friend at one of the air force bases where my dad was assigned. Get-togethers at bases were common among the families and the cooks wanted to contribute their best from other posts.
Mom made it without garlic and used chile sauce or catsup; she used Frito’s and American cheese slices. In its new-age form I added: minced garlic, and substituted salsa for chile sauce, grated cheddar cheese (or jalapeno jack cheese) for the American cheese and tortilla chips for the Frito’s, Frito’s would still be great. Both ways are delicious, but it is fun to take an old favorite and drag into the healthier kitchen.
This dish wasn’t a favorite with our youngest daughter (who became a pastry chef) until she returned home at Christmas time from college and her first request was for Grand Mom’s Stuffed Eggplant. At this point the dish was named Grown-Up Stuffed Eggplant Boats!
Grown-Up Stuffed Eggplant Boats
2 eggplants
1 tablespoon olive oil, if not using a nonstick skillet
1 pound ground beef (optional use ground turkey or lamb)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
4+ tablespoons salsa, such as Ortega’s Green Chile Salsa
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or ½ cup grated cheese for diet nights)
1 cup tortilla chips, slightly crushed
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce the eggplants 3-4 times with the tip of a knife. Place on baking sheet in oven for 30 minutes, or microwave on high for fifteen minutes turn once half way through cooking time. The eggplants when cooked will appear deflated. Cool until able to handle.
Cut in half. Scoop and cut the flesh out of the skins (hopefully) without piercing through the skin. Place the eggplant shells/boats in a 9-by13-inch baking pan.
Cut the eggplant flesh into ¾ inch cubes. Set aside.
2. While the eggplants are cooking in the oven prepare the meat mixture:
In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic. Stir to break up ground beef.
Cook about 8-10 minutes, until mixture is brown. Drain off excess fat or use a paper towel to blot up fat.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cubed eggplant. Stir to combine.
3. Divide mixture among shells/boats, at this point the filled shells/boats can be refrigerated or frozen.
Spread salsa over top, about 1 tablespoon (or to taste) per shell. Sprinkle with cheese and top with tortilla chips.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Yield: Serves four.
(My husband forbids me from sharing this tidbit, but our youngest daughter referred to this dish as “Green Slime” until she grew up and saw the light. Now I visit her home and prepare it for her boys, who eat it with gusto!)
My mom made the best Stuffed Eggplant Boats, this recipe was a family favorite during the late 40’s and early ‘50’s. We considered it to be very exotic and international! Now I think of it as comfort food. She got it from a friend at one of the air force bases where my dad was assigned. Get-togethers at bases were common among the families and the cooks wanted to contribute their best from other posts.
Mom made it without garlic and used chile sauce or catsup; she used Frito’s and American cheese slices. In its new-age form I added: minced garlic, and substituted salsa for chile sauce, grated cheddar cheese (or jalapeno jack cheese) for the American cheese and tortilla chips for the Frito’s, Frito’s would still be great. Both ways are delicious, but it is fun to take an old favorite and drag into the healthier kitchen.
This dish wasn’t a favorite with our youngest daughter (who became a pastry chef) until she returned home at Christmas time from college and her first request was for Grand Mom’s Stuffed Eggplant. At this point the dish was named Grown-Up Stuffed Eggplant Boats!
Grown-Up Stuffed Eggplant Boats
2 eggplants
1 tablespoon olive oil, if not using a nonstick skillet
1 pound ground beef (optional use ground turkey or lamb)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
4+ tablespoons salsa, such as Ortega’s Green Chile Salsa
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or ½ cup grated cheese for diet nights)
1 cup tortilla chips, slightly crushed
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce the eggplants 3-4 times with the tip of a knife. Place on baking sheet in oven for 30 minutes, or microwave on high for fifteen minutes turn once half way through cooking time. The eggplants when cooked will appear deflated. Cool until able to handle.
Cut in half. Scoop and cut the flesh out of the skins (hopefully) without piercing through the skin. Place the eggplant shells/boats in a 9-by13-inch baking pan.
Cut the eggplant flesh into ¾ inch cubes. Set aside.
2. While the eggplants are cooking in the oven prepare the meat mixture:
In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and garlic. Stir to break up ground beef.
Cook about 8-10 minutes, until mixture is brown. Drain off excess fat or use a paper towel to blot up fat.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cubed eggplant. Stir to combine.
3. Divide mixture among shells/boats, at this point the filled shells/boats can be refrigerated or frozen.
Spread salsa over top, about 1 tablespoon (or to taste) per shell. Sprinkle with cheese and top with tortilla chips.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
Yield: Serves four.
(My husband forbids me from sharing this tidbit, but our youngest daughter referred to this dish as “Green Slime” until she grew up and saw the light. Now I visit her home and prepare it for her boys, who eat it with gusto!)
Here is Julia Child's stuffed with mushrooms.
I've used goat cheese or ricotta instead of the cream cheese. Fresh herbs and fresh breadcrumbs are nice updates too, but here is the original '60's recipe:
Aubergines Farcies Duxelles
(Eggplant Stuffed with Mushrooms)
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
3 eggplants about 6 inches long and 3 inches in diameter
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup finely minced onions
1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
1 lb mushrooms, finely minced and twisted in a towel to extract moisture.
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tb. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 pk. (4-1/2 oz.) cream cheese
1/2 tsp. basil or 1/4 tsp. thyme
3 Tbs. grated Swiss cheese mixed with 3 Tbs. fine dry breadcrumbs
2 to 3 Tbs. melted butter
Remove the stems and halve the eggplants. Cut striations an inch apart in the flesh, going down to within 1/4 inch of the skin. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and lay the eggplants flesh down on a towel for half an hour. Gently squeeze them to extract as much water as possible. Dry them, then drizzle with oil.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Place them flesh side up in a roasting pan and pour 1/8-inch of water around them. Set them so their flesh is 4 to 5 inches from the moderately hot broiler for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. (I do this in a hot oven because my broiler is too intense.)
Leaving the skin intact, remove all but 1/4-inch of the eggplant meat with a spoon. Chop and place in a mixing bowl.
Cook the onions slowly in the oil or butter for about 10 minutes until very tender but not browned. Season lightly and add to the eggplant in the mixing bowl.
Saute the mushrooms over high heat in the butter and oil until lightly browned. Season and add to the mixing bowl.
Mash the cream cheese with a fork, then beat it into the mixing bowl. Beat in the herbs, and taste carefully for seasoning.
Fill the eggplant halves with the mixture. Top with the Swiss cheese and breadcrumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
(May be prepared up to a day ahead to this point.)
Preheat the oven to 375*F. About 40 minutes before serving, arrange in roasting pan and surround with 1/8-inch of water. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes to heat thoroughly and brown the topping.
I've used goat cheese or ricotta instead of the cream cheese. Fresh herbs and fresh breadcrumbs are nice updates too, but here is the original '60's recipe:
Aubergines Farcies Duxelles
(Eggplant Stuffed with Mushrooms)
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child
3 eggplants about 6 inches long and 3 inches in diameter
1 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup finely minced onions
1-1/2 Tbs. olive oil or butter
Salt and pepper
1 lb mushrooms, finely minced and twisted in a towel to extract moisture.
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tb. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 pk. (4-1/2 oz.) cream cheese
1/2 tsp. basil or 1/4 tsp. thyme
3 Tbs. grated Swiss cheese mixed with 3 Tbs. fine dry breadcrumbs
2 to 3 Tbs. melted butter
Remove the stems and halve the eggplants. Cut striations an inch apart in the flesh, going down to within 1/4 inch of the skin. Sprinkle the flesh with salt and lay the eggplants flesh down on a towel for half an hour. Gently squeeze them to extract as much water as possible. Dry them, then drizzle with oil.
Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
Place them flesh side up in a roasting pan and pour 1/8-inch of water around them. Set them so their flesh is 4 to 5 inches from the moderately hot broiler for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. (I do this in a hot oven because my broiler is too intense.)
Leaving the skin intact, remove all but 1/4-inch of the eggplant meat with a spoon. Chop and place in a mixing bowl.
Cook the onions slowly in the oil or butter for about 10 minutes until very tender but not browned. Season lightly and add to the eggplant in the mixing bowl.
Saute the mushrooms over high heat in the butter and oil until lightly browned. Season and add to the mixing bowl.
Mash the cream cheese with a fork, then beat it into the mixing bowl. Beat in the herbs, and taste carefully for seasoning.
Fill the eggplant halves with the mixture. Top with the Swiss cheese and breadcrumbs, and drizzle with the melted butter.
(May be prepared up to a day ahead to this point.)
Preheat the oven to 375*F. About 40 minutes before serving, arrange in roasting pan and surround with 1/8-inch of water. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes to heat thoroughly and brown the topping.
janet-in-nc
Well-known member
Thanks everyone, I'll give some of these a try. NT