Stuffed Eggplant Recipe – Gefüllte Auberginen

The Stuffed Eggplant Recipe was first introduced to me about 40 years ago back in Germany. Not really knowing what it is, because the eggplant had not yet found its place into the German kitchen at the time, I immediately fell in love with this dish. The dish can be made in the scratched out eggplants or in a casserole.

Ingredients for Stuffed Eggplant Recipe:

• 6 egg plants, each about 250 g (8.8 oz)
• 250 g (8.8 oz) of onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil, for roasting the onions
• 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, for brushing the egg plants
• 5 tomatoes, each about 160 g (5.64 oz)
• 1 cup of rice, 180 g (6.34 oz), long grain, white (optional, any other rice works fine too)
• 500 ml (16.9 oz) of water
• 1 cube of vegetable broth
• 400 g (14.1 oz) of cooked ham, Blackforest
• 200 g (7.05 oz) of mushrooms, whole, canned
• 150 g (5.29 oz) of parmesan, shredded
• 60 g (2.11 oz) of butter

Preparation of Stuffed Eggplants:

Dissolve the cube of vegetable broth in some of the water in the microwave and pour to the rest of the water. Wash the rice and add to the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until water is absorbed. Turn the heat off and leave the rice covered for 5 more minutes. Fluff with a fork and place aside.

Wash the eggplant and cut in half lengthwise. Make in the center crosswise cuts and brush it with oil. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes in a preheated oven on the middle rack at 220°C – 425°F. After the eggplants have cooled down, scratch the meat out using a spoon. Best is a grapefruit spoon with a serrated edge. Dice the eggplant meat and place in a bowl.

To peel the tomatoes, pour boiling water over them. Take the tomatoes out of the water using tongs, skin them and dice. Add them to the eggplants. Cut the ham in small pieces, dice the onions, and cut the mushrooms in slices.

In a large frying pan, heat up the oil and roast the onions until transparent. Add the tomatoes and eggplants, rice, ham, and mushroom and mix until the ingredients are combined. Add some salt to your personal taste. Turn the heat off.

Fill the tomato/eggplant mixture into the eggplants and top with the cheese. Place small slices of butter on top of the cheese.

Preheat oven to 190°C – 375°F and place the stuffed eggplants on the middle rack. Bake for 25-30 minutes.