Salmon Stuffed Eggplant
My friends, David and Nito Carpita, own Mas Cornud B&B and cooking school in Saint Remy, France (http://www.mascornud.com/). This is one of Nito’s recipes from her class on traditional Provencal cuisine. Healthy and flavorful, it also makes for a great presentation.
4 servings
4 eggplant, about 7oz. each
salt, freshly ground pepper
2+2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes (14 oz. when whole)
2/3 cup or 5oz.onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
4 stems fresh basil
3/4 lb. Salmon filets
- Score exposed flesh of eggplants with cross cuts, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with a line of olive oil.
- Place eggplant flesh side up on oven tray covered with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) until soft to the touch, about 40 minutes.
- Remove eggplant flesh with a spoon, being careful to keep the skin intact. Reserve skin.
- Place cooked eggplant with chopped tomatoes in a colander lined with a paper towel to drain excess liquid.
- Sweat onions in skillet over low heat in 2 tbs. olive oil without coloring them. Add garlic and stir together over medium heat. Once the aroma arises from the garlic, add eggplant mixture and toss together. Let cook over low heat for 15 minutes, season with salt.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly before adding basil leaves, reserving some for the garnish.
- Fill each eggplant skin with eggplant mixture. Layer reconstructed eggplants with overlapping strips of salmon filets, place on the oven tray and bake for 3-4 minutes, just enough for the salmon to change color. Garnish with basil. Serve hot.
