Eggplant Stuffed with Meatloaf

This is an incredible recipe. When cooking eggplant, it is best salted to remove some of the bitter flavor. The meatloaf is just vegetables, spices and ground beef – no fillers. I had only one eggplant and used the excess meat loaf to create two torpedo shaped small loafs and baked them on either side.

Ingredients

Ground beef, 1 pound

Eggplant, 1

Green bell pepper, ¾, chopped

Onion, ½ small, chopped

Paprika, ¼ tsp

Salt & pepper, to taste

Water, to fill a large bowl

Salt, 2 TBSP

Olive oil, ¼ cup

Balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp

Tomato paste, 1 to 2 TBSP

Preparation

Use a rolling pin to slightly flatten two sides of the eggplant.

Fill a large bowl with enough water for the eggplant to float.

Place the eggplant in the water and sprinkle with 1 TBSP of table salt.

Let sit 3-4 minutes.

Turn the eggplant and sprinkle with another 1 TBSP of salt and let sit another 3-4 minutes.

While the eggplant floats in salt bath, prepare the vegetables.

Place the chopped vegetables into a medium sized bowl.

Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper.

Mix in the ground beef using your hands.

Rinse the eggplant in the water and place into a baking dish, flattened side down.

Cut the eggplant open, lengthwise, leaving the sides joined together at the bottom.

Salt and pepper the insides of the eggplant.

Stuff the eggplant with the meatloaf.

Use the leftover meatloaf to create two torpedo shaped meatloaves.

Set them closely next to the eggplant on both sides.

Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and tomato paste.

Spoon over the meatloaves and eggplant.

Bake covered in a preheated 350° oven for one hour.

To serve, slice across the eggplant.

The smaller meatloaves were delicious the next day served cold or sliced in sandwiches.