Stuffed Eggplant

Don't be put off by the number of steps. This isn't as complicated as it looks, and you can switch up the stuffing ingredients to match what you have or like. You can make this ahead all the way to stuffing the eggplants, then just put them into the oven about 30 minutes before you're ready to serve to warm. If you want to make this more hearty you can add some cooked lentils to the filling.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants

• 3 Tbl. olive oil, divided

• 1 cup finely minced onion

• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced

• 1 cup diced tomato

• 1/2 tsp. fresh or 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Salt and pepper

• 1/4 cup basil, parsley or mint (or a combination), chopped

• 3/4 cup feta

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (or use panko or store bought breadcrumbs), tossed in 2 Tbl. olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Cut two small slits on the flesh side of each, then place flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake about 15-20 minutes until tender (the shells will start to pucker and when you push on them they'll be fairly soft). Remove from oven, let cool a bit until you can handle them. Then scoop the inside out of the eggplant leaving the shell intact.

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

4. Put 2 Tbl. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper, eggplant, tomato, oregano, and garlic and stir everything together. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove the lid and simmer another 5 minutes until any liquid has evaporated, again stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper then fold in the herbs and feta.

5. Scoop some of the vegetable mixture into each of the four eggplant shells. NOTE: You can make these ahead up to this point and heat 30 minutes before you're ready to serve.

6. Place the filled eggplant shells in the oven and cook until heated through, about 15-20 minutes. Top them each with the fresh breadcrumbs and cook another 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs get lightly brown.