Imam Bayildi Stuffed Aubergines

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 8 aubergines (eggplants)
• 3 medium onions
• 5 fresh garlic cloves, chopped and crushed
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Recipe

• 1 wash the aubergines well and remove the stems. peel the skin lengthwise in ½ inch strips, to give a nice striped effect. this will help the aubergine absorb the flavours while cooking, even if the stripes disappear to some extent when cooked.
• 2 if you choose small and very fresh aubergines there is probably no need to bother salting them. if you are of the salting persuasion, then at this stage cover your aubergines with salt and allow them to rest on kitchen towel for about half an hour. afterwards simply wipe away the salt.
• 3 cut the aubergines in half (lengthwise), and cut a slit lengthwise in the fleshy side of each of the halves, stopping a little short of the ends. cut onions in half (from tip to tip) and then chop into slender wedges.
• 4 heat half of the oil in a heavy based saucepan or frying pan with a lid, and add the onions. cook gently until they are transparent. add the chopped garlic and cook for about a minute. pour this mixture into a large bowl, and stir in the chopped tomatoes, parsley, salt and pepper, as well as the lemon juice, sugar and water, to make the mixture used for stuffing the aubergines.
• 5 heat the remaining oil in the pan until it starts to smoke, then add the aubergines and cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes, until they are lightly browned all over, but still nice and firm. then remove from the heat.
• 6 arrange the aubergines in the pan with fleshy sides upwards, and spoon the filling mixture into the slits. try to stuff in as much as possible, and spread any remaining filling on top. put a lid on the pan and cook over a gentle heat until tender (approx 45 minutes). check on it occasionally, adding more water to the pan only if it is getting dry (aubergines do release a great deal of water).
• 7 alternatively, you can arrange the stuffed aubergines in a covered oven proof dish, and cook for about 45 minutes at 180 degrees.
• 8 remove from the heat, and let the stuffed aubergines cool to room temperature. serve as an appetizer/meze, or as a light meal with fresh bread and/or yoghurt. it can also be refrigerated and served refreshingly chilled.
• 9 note : the dish is simple to prepare, but it does take a little while to cook (about 1¼ hours) and cool (it is supposed to be eaten at room temperature), so make sure you allow enough time. and check that you have enough olive oil!