Easy Stuffed Eggplant

Easy vegetarian dish for eggplant lovers!

Prep: 20 min; Start to finish: 45 min

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggplants
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil

For spice mixture:

  • ¾ teaspoon allspice
  • ¾ teaspoon coriander
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling:

  • 1 cup dry couscous
  • 1 cup canned or cooked chickpeas, drained
  • 1 Roma tomato, diced
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • Handful fresh parsley finely chopped

Directions

  1. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Season the flesh with kosher salt. Set aside, flesh side up, for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the eggplant to “sweat.” Pat dry with a paper towel.
  2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the spices.
  4. Pat eggplant dry. Brush the flesh with extra virgin olive oil. Set aside about 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture and use the rest to season the eggplant (rub the spice mixture allover the top of each eggplant half.)
  5. Roast the eggplant: Place eggplant halves, flesh side up, on a generously oiled sheet pan. Bake in the heated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the eggplant flesh is nice and tender.
  6. Cook the couscous while the eggplant is roasting. Heat a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and cook briefly, stirring regularly, until toasted. Add 1 cup of boiling water to the couscous and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes until the couscous is cooked (it will double in size).
  7. Make the filling: Fluff the couscous with a fork and season with a dash of salt and the 1 teaspoon of spice mixture you reserved earlier. Add chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, green onions, and parsley. Toss to combine.
  8. Assemble: Arrange the roasted eggplant on a serving platter, flesh side up. With the back of a spoon, push the flesh down to create somewhat of a cavity for the couscous filling. Spoon in the couscous filling.
  9. Serve with Tahini Sauce.

Source: The Mediterranean Dish