7.19.2011

2011, Recipe 59: Eggplant Stuffed with Quinoa

Recipe courtesy of The Gourmand Mom
  • 2 baby eggplants
  • 3/4 cup quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place quinoa and vegetable stock in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Keep covered and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Gently fluff with a fork.

Meanwhile, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Use a knife to cut around the edges being careful not to cut through the skin. Leave about a 1/4 inch remaining around the edges. Use a spoon to scoop out the middle.

Chop the scooped eggplant into small pieces. Drizzle with olive oil. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, parsley, salt, crushed red pepper, and about 2/3 of the goat cheese crumbles. (Reserve the remaining 1/3 of goat cheese crumbles for topping the stuffed eggplants.)

Once the quinoa is cooked, gently toss it with the eggplant mixture. Rub the outside of the eggplant skins with a small amount of olive oil, then place on a baking sheet. Generously stuff each skin with the quinoa mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining goat cheese crumbles on top of each eggplant during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Results: Yummy!  I used regular eggplants because they were on sale! $.99/lb. Also, did you know Whole Foods has goat cheese for $2.99 for 4 oz.  And it was $6.99 at Harris Teeter!! I was so proud of myself for knowing my prices and getting a great deal!  The eggplant was so large, we each had just half of one.  It was my first time making quinoa and I was extra pleased!  Yummy!  Rashan didn't like it so much, though.  Ah well.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Unknown said...

I've wanted to try Quinoa in a dish. I've used the flakes for breading but that's about the extent of it. I may have to try this recipe. Looks yummy.

Jameil said...

It was great! You should definitely try it!