STUFFED EGGPLANT IN GRAND HOLIDAY STYLE

PECAN CRUSTED STUFFED EGGPLANT

An elegant dish for the festive occasion, these stuffed eggplants not only make an attractive presentation but they also bring delicious pleasure to the lucky guests who have come for holiday dinner. If the guests are eggplant lovers–even better!

To save time during the busy holiday season, you can make this dish a day ahead and cover it in plastic wrap before baking. Then, next day bring the eggplants to room temperature and bake them shortly before serving.

To determine which size eggplants to buy, it helps to be a little familiar with your guests appetites. Very hearty eaters will be able to handle one-half of the large 1-pound eggplant. Once it’s stuffed, it’s pretty impressive in size.

Those with more average appetites will be very satisfied with one-half of a 1/2-pound eggplant. Keep in mind that the mushrooms, carrots, and the brown rice mixed with the eggplant make even this size a robust serving.

I’ve chosen pecans for the crusty topping because of their natural sweetness, but chopped cashews or walnuts would also make excellent choices to give the topping a pleasing crunch.

PECAN CRUSTED STUFFED EGGPLANT

 Yield: 8 average servings or 4 very hearty servings

Eggplant Stuffing

4 small eggplants, about 1/2 pound each for average servings or 2 large eggplants (1 pound each), for very hearty eater

1/2 pound fresh button, mushrooms halved and thinly sliced

7 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium carrots, diced

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup cooked short grain brown rice

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

Freshly ground black pepper

1 or 2 pinches cayenne

Topping

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely ground in a nut mill

1 tablespoon white miso

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a serrated grapefruit knife or paring knife scoop out the eggplant flesh, chop it into bite-size pieces, and set it aside in a medium bowl.

Brush the shells inside and out lightly with oil, put the shells on the baking sheet, and put them under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes, until the flesh is soft and golden brown. Remove and cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the chopped eggplant flesh to a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic, carrots, water, and oil and cook and stir over high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the soy sauce, vinegar, and lemon juice and cook another 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and cayenne. Adjust seasoning if needed. Mix well and stuff the mixture into the eggplant shells, filling them to the rim. Store extra stuffing in the refrigerator and see note for leftover suggestion.

Put the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use the fingers to mix it well. Spoon the topping over the eggplant and press gently to secure it. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes and serve.

Note: Extra eggplant stuffing is delicious as an appetizer spread that can be spooned onto toasted pita wedges or crackers. These handy leftovers bring a delicious appetizer to the table quickly.

Portobello Mini Pies–a Vegan for the Holidays Spectacular!

PORTOBELLO MINI PIES

WITH MEDITERRANEAN RELISH

Portobello mushrooms, with their intense, earthy, and woodsy flavor, claim the limelight to offer a platter of richly flavored mini pies with winning charm that has enough pizazz to stand alone. Top the little pies with Mediterranean Relish and they morph into an eye appealing, elegant, and compellingly delicious main dish for the holiday season.

These little mini pies are ideal for a quiet family meal, but they’re also compelling and sophisticated enough to serve your most discriminating foodie guests for a holiday dinner.

Prepare the mini pies and the relish in advance so after a busy day of holiday shopping you can tuck them into the oven for a quick warming. They’ll be ready in minutes.

Add a salad and a steamed vegetable and dinner is done. Then you’ll have plenty of time to relax and share your shopping finds at the dinner table–unless they’re a surprise!

PORTOBELLO MINI PIES

WITH MEDITERRANEAN RELISH

Makes 10 to 12 mini pies 3-inches in diameter.

 

Mushroom Mini Pies

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon flaxseed meal

 

2 to 3 giant portobello mushrooms (about 3/4 pound), or 3/4 pound cremini or button mushrooms

 

1 cup cooked brown rice, barley, or buckwheat

1 cup diced onions

1/2 cup almond meal or hazelnut meal

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

 

Mediterranean Relish

1 (14-ounce) can water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and diced

1 1/4 cups diced fresh tomatoes

10 pitted Kalamata olives, diced

6 pitted Spanish olives, diced

1 green onion, minced

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch cayenne

Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Few sprigs fresh basil

 

1. TO MAKE THE MUSHROOM MINI PIES, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat.
2. In a small bowl, combine the water and flaxseed meal. Mix well and set aside to thicken.
3. Coarsely chop the mushrooms, put them into the food processor in batches, and pulse until finely minced. Transfer the mushrooms to a large bowl.
4. Add the cooked brown rice, onions, almond meal, rolled oats, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper to the bowl and mix well with clean hands to distribute ingredients evenly.
5. If the reserved flaxseed meal has not thickened, beat it with a fork until it forms a thick slurry or put it into the blender and blend for 1 minute to form the thick slurry, about the texture of cooked oatmeal. Add the slurry to the mushrooms and mix thoroughly to distribute the slurry evenly.
6. Using your hands, form the mixture into mini pies or patties and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Press lightly on the tops to flatten them slightly. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the mini pies with a metal spatula and bake 12 to 15 minutes longer until tops are firm.
7. TO MAKE THE MEDITERRANEAN RELISH, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Adjust seasonings if needed.
8. TO SERVE, place the mushroom mini pies on a platter and garnish each with a generous dollop of the Mediterranean Relish. Artfully place a basil leaf on each mini pie and bring the remaining relish to the table.

Note: The mini pies and the relish are also the ultimate convenience foods—prepare them a day ahead and chill them separately. Reheat the mini pies at 350 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The relish will keep for up to 4 days.

Important: If you’ve chosen to use the buckwheat in the in the mini cakes, you may need to add a small amount of water. If the mixture is too dry to hold together when forming the mini pies, add 1 to 3 tablespoons water and mix well with the hands. The mixture should be firm, yet moist but not watery.