Serves 2
When I married David he was a really fussy eater. I think that getting married believing that you’re going to change your partner is a recipe for disaster but just between you and me and the rest of the interwebs, when it came to food, I secretly believed that David could be transformed.
10 years on and David now eats mushrooms, olives, artichokes and wait for it… “drum roll” brussel sprouts. In fact, food wise he’ll give anything a go. With one exception… the humble eggplant (although he will make an exception if it’s mushed into Baba Ganoush!)
So you know that saying “when the cat’s away the mouse will play,” well when David’s away (or at least not home for dinner) I eat eggplant. I l think they make a great plant based meal, because they’re just so “meaty” for want of a better word! Now, I know this dish isn’t going to win any food beauty pageants but it sure is going to score mighty high on any taste tests!
This is super simple to make, requires a few pantry ingredients and is bursting with flavour. I’ve also updated the recipe with a Thermomix conversion! Let’s do it, shall we?
Ingredients – Traditional
25g parmesan cheese, grated
1 slice of bread, blitzed into crumbs (seed/multigrain bread gives a lovely nutty texture)
2 eggplants, halved lengthways (leave the stems on)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh herbs, oregano, parsley or thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar
dash of Worcestershire sauce
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
How to: – Traditional
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan-forced.
- Mix the parmesan and breadcrumbs together and set aside.
- Use the tip of a knife to score the cut side of the eggplant halves in a criss-cross pattern. Place the eggplant, cut side up in a large roasting dish.
- Rub the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of oil, season and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.
- Meanwhile, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft. Add the thyme leaves, paprika, tinned tomatoes, beans, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and half a can of water. Simmer the bean mixture for about 8 minutes until thickened and season.
- Spoon the beans under and around the eggplant halves and top with the parmesan crumb mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden.
Ingredients – Thermomix
25g parmesan cheese, cubed
1 slice of bread, frozen and broken into chunks
2 eggplants, halved lengthways (leave the stems on)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, quartered
1 teaspoon fresh herbs, oregano, parsley or thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon brown sugar
dash of Worcestershire sauce
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
How to: – Traditional
- Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan-forced.
- Blitz the parmesan and frozen bread on speed 8 for 8 seconds. Set aside.
- Use the tip of a knife to score the cut side of the eggplant halves in a criss-cross pattern. Place the eggplant, cut side up in a large roasting dish.
- Rub the eggplants with 1 tablespoon of oil, season and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.
- Add the onion and garlic to the TM bowl and chop for 5 seconds on speed 5. Scrape down lid and sides. Add 20g oil and saute for 2 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.
- Then add the paprika and saute for 1 minute at 100 degees on speed 1.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, beans, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and cook for 17 minutes at 100C on reverse + speed soft.
- Spoon the beans under and around the eggplant halves and top with the parmesan crumb mixture. Bake for another 10 minutes until golden.
.Other info
Preparation Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes
