These Moroccan inspired stuffed aubergines are delicious served with a simple green salad.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Medium Sized Aubergines
100g Brown Basmati Rice
6 Rashers of Unsmoked, Rindless Back Bacon, cut into small pieces
100g Spring Onions, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
400g Tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ Tsp Ground Allspice
½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon
25g Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
30g Pistachios, lighly toasted
50g Sultanas
Juice & Zest of 1 Lemon
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Large Handful of Parsley, chopped
12 Slices of Tomato
Method
Preheat the oven to 200℃/ Fan 180℃.
Halve the aubergines lengthways and scoop out the flesh leaving a 1cm thick shell. Place the shells in an ovenproof dish and bake for 15 minutes.
Cook the rice in boiling salted water until just cooked and then drain well.
While the rice is cooking, heat a non stick pan and fry the bacon pieces. When the bacon starts to release its fat add the onions and garlic. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the onions are tender. Add the tomatoes and spices and continue to cook until a thick sauce is formed then stir in the lemon juice and season to taste.
Mix together the pine nuts, pistachios and sultanas and roughly chop. Add the chopped parsley and mix together. Add half of this mixture to the rice along with the bacon and tomatoes and season to taste. Spoon the mixture into the aubergine shells and top each one with 3 tomato slices. Pour a little water in the base of the dish, cover with tin foil and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes.
Just before serving scatter the stuffed aubergines with the remaining parsley, nuts and sultana mixture.
