Stuffed Summer Vegetables on a Rotten Day

It’s about to rain…it’s warm of course, but there is a depression over Auckland and it’s blowing a gale. Don’t feel like a salad for lunch. So how about hot vegetables.

I saw Giada deLaurentis cook this stuffed summer vegetable dish this morning and my taste buds went into gear.

This is my take on it.

1 red freshly ground black pepper
1 courgette
½ eggplant

2 tablespoons parsley finely chopped
2 tbs basil finely chopped
2 tablespoons spring onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

200 gms hamburger mince

Olive oil

Tomato ketchup

Cut the pepper in half remove seeds and pith
Cut courgettes in half and remove seeds

Cuy eggplant in half horizontally and in half again and remove seeds
Prick the eggplant to help cooking process.

Brush all of them with olive oil and season well with S & P

Meanwhile make the stuffing
Add herbs, S & P, egg and breadcrumbs to a bowl
Mix well

Add mince knead well with your hands… the best and cheapest tools in the kitchen
It needs good seasoning so be generous.
Have a quick taste

Fill the vegetable with stuffing and top with tomato ketchup

Into 190C oven
I baked the eggplant and pepper for 10 minutes and then added the courgettes (as they were smaller) for another 15 minutes.

Let cool about 15 minutes, thing taste better closer to room temperature.

What an easy and tasty lunch.

We went to the movies saw “Juno”
Excellent choice. The weather has not improved at all.
It’s worse…as we drove around the waterfront to Mission Bay the wind was trying hard to push the car off the road..

But very cosy in the cinema… Nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a little box of Pringles.

Very pleasant.

Home. Let’s stick with the comfort winter type food.
This a favourite with our family.
Perfectly poached eggs sitting on a bed on baked beans… with a side order of homemade oven baked chips.

Eaten in front of the latest episode of “House”. What a meal! What a night!