Anamaya recipe: Lentil-Stuffed Eggplant with Cashews and Cheese
Photo, Elio Livio Macchia.
A recipe from the Anamaya Resort & Retreat Centre in Costa Rica, with modifications from our Kitchen.
Prep 20 min
Total 55 min
Ingredients
3 Italian eggplants, halved lengthwise 2 tbsp olive oil, divided 2 tsp paprika, divided 1 onion, diced 2 long red chili peppers, deseeded and sliced 796-mL can diced tomatoes 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp salt 540-mL can lentils, drained and rinsed, about 2 cups 1 cup chopped toasted cashews 3 cups baby spinach, packed 1 cup grated mozzarella 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Method
PREHEAT oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
HOLLOW out eggplant halves with a spoon, leaving a 1/2-in. border around edges and bottom (it will resemble a boat.) Dice flesh and set aside. Brush insides of eggplant boats with 1 tbsp oil. Sprinkle with 1 tsp paprika. Season with fresh pepper. Arrange cut-side down on prepared sheet. Bake in centre of oven until eggplant is soft, about 25 min. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler.
HEAT a large frying pan over medium. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil, then onion and peppers. Cook until onion is soft, about 2 min. Add reserved eggplant flesh, tomatoes, cumin, remaining 1 tsp paprika and salt. Simmer, stirring often, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 min. Stir in lentils and cashews during the last 2 min of cooking. Remove from heat.
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LINE the inside of eggplant boats with spinach. Fill boats with lentil mixture over spinach. Sprinkle with mozzarella.
BROIL in centre of oven until cheese melts, 1 to 2 min. Sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 6.
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