Once, aubergine meant for us only a color. Intense, dark purple, intriguing and elegant. This, however, is also one of the terms of a very good vegetable of the same color – aubergine. A beautiful, eye-catching look, somewhat alien in our home kitchen, and yet a very noteworthy aubergine from time to time plays a major role on our plates and it fully deserves it.

Apparently, every day we should find in our diet space for vegetables and fruits of all colors. White, yellow, red, blue and green – the whole range of colors found in vegetables and fruits has a beneficial effect on our body and its functioning. They support our immune system, positively affect our skin and are have antioxidants. Aubergines belong to the group of blue and navy vegetables, they owe their unique colour to precious anthocyanins, which have been reportedly proven anti-cancer.

It’s good to accustom yourself with the aubergine and reach for it from time to time to spice up the home menu and give it a bit of an exotic taste. Despite the inglorious gossip, it has not happened yet that the aubergine came out bitter after the preparation. We tend to choose young, small specimens, therefore they are delicate, even melt in the mouth. Anyway, try it yourself, because there are so many ideas for aubergine that it would be a sin not to try. On a first “date” we would suggest simple things like aubergine stuffed with delicate turkey or chicken meat, with tomato sauce, herbs, baked under a delicate layer of cheese.

Gosh, we are so hungry… So lets go and make some now!

AUBERGINE STUFFED WITH MINCED MEAT
Aubergine stuffed with minced meat by CRAVEmonkey

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium aubergine
  • 250 g minced meat (we suggest turkey or chicken but any will do just fine)
  • 300 ml of tomato puree
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 small onion
  • basil, oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • oil
  • a handful of grated cheese

Method:

  1. Cut aubergine along in half. Spoon the hollow pulp with the spoon, but leave a layer of about 1/2 cm thick. Rub the halves with plenty of salt to get rid of the bitterness and leave for about 20 minutes.
  2. Peel onion and garlic and chop them finely.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan, sauté the onions and garlic, and then add the meat, stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until it is fully cooked (no red meat visible) and add tomato purée.
  4. Add a bit of herbs (basil, oregano, pepper) and a generous pinch of salt and taste if it is up to your liking. On medium heat, cook for a few more minutes until the flavours are combined.
  5. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  6. Using a paper towel, collect the juice that has been collecting on the top of the aubergine due to salt.
  7. Place the meat stuffing in place of the hollow pulp, sprinkle on top some grated cheese.
  8. Bake in a casserole dish for about 20 minutes, until the cheese, is slightly golden brown and the aubergine is soft.

Here you can find more our recipes with aubergine.

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