Recipe: Imam Bayildi (Stuffed Eggplant)
This is my version of the traditional Turkish eggplant dish. It makes the perfect vegan entrée: baked eggplant’s savory flavor and meaty texture offer both antioxidants and free radical scavengers, benefits useful to stave off illness and prevent heart disease. For a complete protein, serve with rice and beans or a hearty nut-based bread.
2 whole eggplants,
cut lengthwise
1/4 cup extra
virgin olive oil,
divided
2 large onions,
thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic,
chopped
3 large tomatoes,
chopped
1/4 tsp. allspice or
1/8 tsp cloves
1 tsp. dried or 2 T
fresh parsley
1/3 cup raisins
1 T maple syrup or
agave nectar
Juice of 1/2-1 lemon
(to taste)
Salt and pepper, to
taste
Cut the stem off each eggplant, then cut each lengthwise to create 4 halves. Along each cut side of the halves, make lengthwise slits with a knife, cutting almost, but not quite, to the skin. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to sit cut side-down for 10-15 minutes, then pat dry with a paper towel.
Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly grease a large (9 X 13) pan.
In a large skillet, heat 2 T. of the oil over medium-high heat. Cook each eggplant half, skin side-down, until the skin is golden, about 4 minutes. Place skin side-up in the pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the onion and garlic. Sauté over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, parsley and spice and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley, lemon juice, maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste.
Gently pull the eggplant apart along the slits and fill each with some of the onion-tomato mixture. Spread any leftover mixture over the top of each half.
Bake in preheated over 30-45 minutes, until the top is bubbly and golden, and the eggplant is soft throughout. May be served warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 dinner servings or 8 side dish servings.
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