Roasted Eggplant With Bulgar

Last month, I taught a class on vegetarian meals. Whenever I approach vegetarian food, it is always through my omnivore perspective. On Tuesdays, I observe a vegetarian diet and on those days, I end up over looking my protein. Putting a class together on the subject brought with it responsibility and I couldn’t omit a major part of the food group. People didn’t need a class on sautéing some broccoli with garlic, what they needed were complete dishes. Dishes with some kind of protein, grains, veggies and perhaps a touch of dairy.

This led me to my favorite chef from London – Yottam Ottolenghi. Here is a chef who find’s celebration in these very ingredients. A while back, I had read a recipe of his on charmoula roasted eggplant with herby bulgar (similar to couscous). Reading the recipe, there was an explosion of flavors that were skillfully layered. The dish was the perfect blend of North African and Middle Eastern flavor profiles. The best part was on balance. Ingredients weren’t randomly thrown together but were compiled through purpose and intention. Bulgar providing not only grain but also protein, pine nuts injecting an additional protein boost, a generous drizzle of  garlic yoghurt sauce and of course the hearty veggie contributor caramelized and scored eggplant.

 

Charmoula Roasted Eggplant Stuffed With Bulgur

1 eggplant, cut in half along the length

 Charmoula

1 tbsp. preserved lemon, chopped fine

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. chili flakes

½ tsp. sweet paprika

½ cup olive oil

salt to taste

1 tbsp. cilantro

1 tbsp. parsley

½ tsp. mint, chopped

Bulgur

150g fine bulgur

50g sultanas

¼ cup cilantro chopped

¼ cup parsley chopped

2 tbsp. mint, chopped mint, chopped

1 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

toasted
6 spring onions,

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt to tast

Yoghurt Sauce

¼ cup of plain yoghurt

1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp. lemon juice

Salt

 

Method

Eggplant and charmoula

Preheat the oven to 400F

1)    Pound all chermoula ingredients together

2)    Scoop out the seeds of the eggplant. Rub oil all around the skin

3)    Make light crisscross incisions. Rub charmoula all over the flesh

4)    Bake until tender and caramelized – about 40 minutes

Bulgur

1)    Lightly sauté the scallions until barely soft, set aside

2)    Soak bulgur with 150ml boiling water. Cover and allow to soften

3)     Soak sultanas and once plumped-up, drain, add to bulgur wheat

4)    Add salt, scallions, herbs, lemon juice, toss well, fill the roasted eggplant

Yoghurt Sauce

1) Combine yoghurt, lemon juice garlic