Native Mint and Saltbush Stuffed Eggplant

Native Mint and Saltbush Stuffed Eggplant

PREP TIME

15 minutes

COOK TIME

40 minutes

YIELDS

12

Ingredients

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 celery stick finely sliced
  • 1 cup of ricotta
  • 175 g grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 tsp The Spice People’s Pepper Berries Whole- crushed in a mortar and pestle
  • 1/2 tsp The Spice People’s Native River Mint
  • 1/2 tsp The Spice People’s Peppermint Gum
  • 1/2 tsp The Spice People’s Native Saltbush
  • 2 x 350gm eggplant

Memories

Tricking up one of my all-time favourite vegetables – Eggplant!

The thing I love about eggplants is their ability to soak up every flavour that comes in their vicinity and roasting them until they’re super silky and soft inside. These are stuffed with a herby, minty-studded ricotta mixture that crisps up to a deliciously golden hue after baking and remains super soft and flavourful underneath.

Serve with a peppery rocket salad that’s dressed in olive oil and fresh lemon – these zesty flavours complement our Native River Mint perfectly!

Have as a main meal or side dish to some grilled meat or fish and enjoy!

Directions

  1. Preheat oven 180C. Pour 125ml water into a ceramic baking dish.
    Halve the eggplants lengthways, scoop out the flesh leaving a 1cm border. Dice the flesh. Arrange the shells in the prepared dish.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan on med-high heat, then add onion, garlic, and celery. Cook for 5 mins. Add diced eggplant flesh and cook another 10 mins and remove from heat. Grind the Pepper Berries. To eggplant, stir in ricotta, half the parmesan, Native Pepper Berries, River Mint, Peppermint Gum, and Saltbush.
  3. Pack each eggplant shell with the filling and cover with alfoil.
    Bake for 20-30 mins. and then remove alfoil and sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the top and bake uncovered for 10-15 mins.
    Serve with a peppery rocket salad that’s dressed in olive oil and fresh lemon – these zesty flavours complement our Native River Mint perfectly!