Denise says:
Succot is an exciting time and one always hopes that the weather will be nice so that meals in the Succah will not be too cold. During this time, stuffed vegetables – tomatoes, onions, peppers, courgettes and aubergines are all traditional, predominantly because it was and still is harvest time and these vegetables are at their best. We also celebrate the festival with seasonal fruits –like apples, figs, dates, pomegranate; all symbols of plenty.
I like to serve this stuffed aubergine with a plain green salad as it is quite filling; serve one aubergine per person for a main meal or half as a light meal or starter. The cumin seeds and herbs give it a truly authentic Middle Eastern flavour.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 50 minutes
Parev
Serves: 6 people
Ingredients:
3 large aubergines – cut lengthways2 large red peppers – halved and deseeded
3 tablespoons olive oil
225g cous cous
600ml hot vegetable stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
6 cloves garlic- peeled and finely chopped
50g raisins
400g tin chick peas
3 tablespoons fresh basil – chopped
3 tablespoons fresh mint – chopped
3 tablespoons fresh coriander – chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
Garnish: Dust with paprika – 1 tablespoon
Method
1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas mark 6.2) Score the flesh of the aubergine and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3) Bake for 25 minutes.
4) Meanwhile pre-heat the grill to its highest setting. Place the red peppers on a baking tray. Brush with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
5) Grill the peppers for 10 minutes or until blackened. Remove immediately, put into a dish and cover with cling film. Leave to cool.
6) Remove the aubergine from the oven and scoop out the flesh leaving a 1 cm / ½ inch thick shell next to the skin.
7) Chop the removed flesh and set aside.
8) Pour the hot stock over the cous cous. Cover with cling film and set aside.
9) Heat the vegetable oil in a medium sized frying pan. Sauté the cumin seeds for 1 minute and then add the garlic, and chopped aubergine flesh. Cook for 10 minutes or until soft.
10) Peel the skins off the red peppers and roughly chop the flesh. Add to the aubergine.
11) Stir the aubergine mixture into the cous cous. Add the chick peas, raisins, chopped basil and mint and half the coriander. Season well.
12) Divide the mixture between the 6 aubergine shells.
13) Bake for 15 minutes.
To serve: Sprinkle with paprika and remaining coriander.
Tagged in: Aubergines / Eggplant, Dinner Party, Low Fat, Mediterranean, Parev, Shabbat, Vegetarian, Yom Tov