Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant
As some of you know I have recently started using Veggie Box. This is a fellow ground up foodie business here in Auckland (NZ), delivering fresh fruit and vegetables right to your door. I love it because I find it cost effective in terms of both time and money. You can select your options but I like getting what's in season and enjoying the stretch in my creativity with the produce - which is where this simple recipe idea came from. I do use my DJK Moroccan Slow Cooker Mix in it - yes waaaaay more uses for those than just in the slow cooker! You could make your own up but when I have done this for you - save yourself some precious
time!
Ingredients:
Method:
Prepare the eggplant by sweating it to remove extra water. You can skip this step if short on time but they do roast better. Cut the eggplant lengthwise. Keep the stem intact as this will hold your eggplant together. Using a sharp knife cut diamonds into the flesh just about 1-2cm down (not all the way through).
Season your eggplant with a generous amount of salt and rub it into your diamond slits. Allow to sweat for around half and hour by placing upside down (I like to use a sieve or colander - you will see the fluid coming out. 
Meanwhile prepare your oven. Preheat to 180 degrees fan bake and line a roasting tray with non-stick paper. You can then prepare your paste. You just add one tablespoon of Moroccan Mix to a bowl with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix well. Set aside the remaining mix for the meat. I also roast the pine nuts at this stage (just a dry roast with only the smallest dash of olive oil. Once your eggplant has had sufficient sweat time, simply squeeze out the fluid gently and pat dry with a paper towel.
Brush the Moroccan mix paste onto each eggplant half. Place each half on the roasting tray and bake for about 40-45 minutes.
When you have about 10 minutes to go on the eggplant roasting, prepare the mince filling. Heat a fry pan on medium heat, add olive oil and brown the mince. Add in the tomato paste and Moroccan mix and bring together. You then simply put everything together with your toppings!
While I say 'stuffed' it really means topped but I do not feel that does it justice to the delicious roasted flesh - just means no scoping is required! You can freeze these whole just as they are (I tested because I knew you would ask but honestly you can freeze literally everything) and they reheat fine in the microwave! So a good work lunch option too.
Is this as delicious as it looks?! Yes, yes it is!! You could also use my Mighty Mexican mix as well and get an extra dose of vegetables in - one probably needs to put a whole recipe book together for all DJK mixes as your options are only limited to imagination! How good to know there is no crap in these mixes so also good for babies, toddlers and beyond. You could just blitz this all up for a baby, roasted skin and all!
You are welcome!
x Dr Julie