Dear Newsletter Readers,
Welcome to another edition of our weekly newsletter and I hope it finds you all well.
My contribution to this week’s newsletter is based on some cooking that I did last weekend for my family. As a main dish for our evening meal last Saturday, I stuffed some aubergines green peppers and a couple of different types of mushrooms which were accompanied by roast potatoes and a green salad. I followed a Sicilian recipe for Melanzane ripiena (stuffed aubergene/eggplant) that I (very loosely) carry around in my head. My interpretation of this dish is presented in the recipe and method of cooking below. This is a very easy and tasty dish to make, it’s one of my favorites, so I hope you try it. Until next week, have a good weekend and continue to keep safe.
Melanzane ripiena (my version)
Ingredients for the sausage meat stuffing
l 500 grams of minced pork
l A handful (5~6) of medium sized mushrooms (I usually mix white and brown mushrooms – finely chopped)
l I small stick of celery (finely chopped)
l 1/2 of a medium sized white onion (finely chopped)
l 2 ~3 cloves of garlic (finely chopped or minced/grated)
l 1 egg yolk (beaten)
l 50~60ml of cold milk (this can be substituted with red wine if you like)
l 1/4 tsp of mace
l 1/4 tsp of chilli flakes
l 5/6 sprigs of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
l A small handful of fresh basil leaves (torn into small pieces rather than chopped)
l 20 grams of finely grated Pecorino cheese
l 20 grams of finely grated Parmigiano cheese
l 35~40 grams of finely grated/blended breadcrumbs (a very old French baguette is perfect)
l Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetables to be stuffed
2 largish aubergines (cut into halves with pulp removed and put to one side)
5~6 smallish green peppers (kept whole with only the top removed to take out the seeds)
9~10 button mushrooms (with stalks removed)
(You can use other vegetables such as courgettes/zucchini or a head of celery and if I had had them at hand I would have used them, but unfortunately I didn’t).
Additional ingredients
Ø 2 smallish tomatoes (finely diced – you will sprinkle the tomato over the aubergines)
Ø Grated pecorino and Parmigiano (for sprinkling over the stuffed aubergines and mushrooms)
Ø Olive oil (for drizzling over all the stuffed vegetables)
Ø Serves 4 people
Method
1. Prepare the aubergines by first washing them and then trimming the ends off and cutting them in half (lengthways). Scoop out the pulp, lightly sprinkle salt on the aubergines to prevent them from going brown and then put them to one side for the moment.
2. Prepare the green peppers by first cutting the tops off them and scooping out the seeds. Save the tops of the peppers as you will fit them back on to the green peppers after you have stuffed them.
3. Prepare the mushrooms by first wiping them with a piece of kitchen towel or a dry cloth (never wash mushrooms) and then ease out the stalks. You have to be careful easing the stalks out from the mushrooms as mushrooms are quite fragile.
4. Drizzle some olive oil into a pan and when the oil gets hot add in the aubergine pulp, parsley, celery, garlic and onion. Sautee until the aubergine pulp is tender to the touch. This should only take two or three minutes. Then, take the pan off the heat and put to one side to cool down a little.
5. Put the mincemeat and all the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl and then add in the sauteed aubergine pulp, parsley, celery, garlic and onion. Mix together gently but well and then you are ready to stuff your prepared vegetables.
6. At this stage preheat the oven at 190/200C (fan oven 170~180)~365~375F.
7. Before stuffing the vegetables you will need to do a seasoning test. Take a small amount of stuffing mixture from the bowl and place it in the same pan you sauteed the aubergine and other ingredients in and fry until cooked. Taste it and if you need to add in more seasoning (salt and pepper) then do so at this stage.
8. Arrange all the vegetables on a large plate and stuff all of them with the sausage mix. Put some of the diced tomato over the top of the aubergines and sprinkle with some grated pecorino and Parmigiano cheese; also, make sure you sprinkle a bit of cheese on top of the mushrooms and place the tops back on to the green peppers. Place a small amount of olive oil into a baking tray and arrange the vegetables in the tray. Before putting the tray of stuffed vegetables into the hot oven drizzle some olive oil over them.
9. Set you oven timer for 30~35 minutes. You will need to check the stuffed vegetables from time to time. If you notice that they are browning a little too much then place a sheet of tinfoil over them.
10. Once cooked, take them out of the oven and serve either hot or cold, they are delicious eaten either way. I generally serve some roast potatoes and a green salad with stuffed vegetables, but you can also serve them with rice and other accompanyments.
