Stuffed Eggplants

mysw sent this to me, all pics will come when she uploads from her camera ok!! She adapted this from some blog she can't remember! 

(no photo yet)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium eggplants

Salt

Olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried coriander/mint/parsley (pick one or do a mixture)

1 shallot, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 small carrots or parsnips OR the equivalent amount of sweet potato (again - do a mixture if you like), grated

1 can of chopped or whole tomatoes

450g of minced pork

Fresh Handful of pine nuts (optional)

Handful of fresh coriander/mint/parsley (pick one or do a mixture), chopped

1 large egg

60g Comte cheese (can be substituted with cheddar)

Method:

1. Halve the eggplants. Scoop the flesh out of the middles, in large chunks if possible. Sprinkle the insides with salt and turn them, face down, on a working surface. Leave to rest for about 30 minutes. (These 2 steps will draw the moisture out of the eggplants and keep the flesh from browning too much.) 

2. Reserve 1 cup of eggplant flesh, chopped up. Keep the rest of the eggplant flesh in the fridge to make something else later (e.g. stir-friend eggplant with oyster sauce).

3. Preheat the oven to 180/200 C.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add shallot, cumin and dried herbs. Add garlic. Add grated vegetables/sweet potato and cook one low heat until soft and sweet. 

5. Add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Add the reserved cup of eggplant flesh and cook. Put in a large mixing bowl to cool slightly when done.

6. Add the minced pork, cheese, egg, and fresh herbs to the mixing bowl. Mix everything up well and then test by putting a little ball of the mixture in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Adjust the seasoning of the mixture accordingly. 

7. Stuff the eggplant halves with the mixture. Oil a large baking dish and then add a little bit of water (to make a 'bed' for the eggplants). Arrange the eggplants in the tray and put in the oven for 50mins (or until the tops are browned and the eggplant 'shells' are cooked).