Category: Main Dishes

Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)

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The name of this famous Turkish meze dish literally means “the Imam fainted” or “the Imam was thrilled;” I’ve read it is because of the liberal amount of olive oil used. Often served room temperature or cold, this dish is delicious served hot, too. Some versions of this recipe use different herbs; others bake it; and some cook the filling, first. I like this version because it’s easy to put together and benefits from the slow cooking on the stove top.

eggplant imam

Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)

2 large eggplants, halved lengthwise
1 yellow onion, finely sliced
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small handful each: fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, fresh basil
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar or agave nectar
1 lemon

Use a sharp knife to remove a shallow amount of the innards of the eggplant. You don’t want to scoop it all out, but instead create a shallow indent for the filling to have somewhere to sit.

Finely chop the part you scooped out, and put in a mixing bowl.

Put the eggplant in a wide saucepan with a lid, skin-side down. Sprinkle with salt.

Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, dill, basil and salt to the eggplant innards. Mix well, adding salt to taste.

In a small bowl, mix the oil and water. If you are wary about using 3/4 cup of oil, use 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup water. If not, use 3/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup water. Either way, it will total one cup.

Mix in the sugar. Drizzle the mixture over the eggplant and into the bottom of the skillet. Distribute the filling onto the eggplant halves.

Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool in skillet.

Squeeze with lemon juice and serve room temperature.

Kelp Noodle Stirfry with Tofu, Veggies, and Tamarind Sauce

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Becoming increasingly popular, kelp noodles are a sea vegetable that is formulated with–you guessed it!–kelp, sodium alginate, and water. They are naturally gluten-free and vegan, and I’m pretty sure every bag I have seen says “gluten-free” right on the package. Kelp noodles stand in for grain-based noodles in this easy stir fry, excellent for those trying out a few meat-free meals. Baking the tofu brings on a meatier texture, and the sauce gives a nice balance of spicy/salty/sour/sweet.

Kelp Noodle Stirfry with Tofu, Veggies, and Tamarind Sauce

For the tofu:
1 (350g) package extra-firm tofu, squeezed of excess liquid, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup vegetable broth
3-4 tablespoons wheat-free tamari
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the stirfry sauce:
1/2 cup vegetable broth, plus more as needed
1/4 cup wheat-free tamari
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 teaspoons Thai (or regular) chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons canola or neutral coconut oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced

Fresh vegetables, such as snap peas, broccoli, carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
Vegetable broth, as necessary
2 (12 ounce) bags kelp noodles, rinsed and cut into pieces with scissors
6 cups bean sprouts
4 green onions, chopped

To make the tofu, mix together all of the ingredients. Let sit 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425F. Pour the mixture in a small baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes until the top of the tofu pieces are dry and brown. Flip each piece and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until the other side is browned. Set aside.

For the sauce, blend all ingredients until smooth.

To make the stirfry, heat the oil on high heat in a skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until it starts to brown. Add the vegetables (except for bean sprouts), starting with crispier vegetables such as carrots and broccoli, adding vegetable broth as necessary to keep a bit of liquid in the pan. Once the vegetables are tender crisp, add the tofu, noodles, and bean sprouts. Add sauce, just enough to coat the ingredients. Turn to low heat and cook until the noodles are tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the green onions. Serve immediately. Leftover sauce can keep covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week.

 

Portabello Pizzas with Almond Parmesan

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Both the sauce and the parmesan can be made in advance, so putting these together will take just a few moments. As an alternative, chop all of the vegetables and roast them, then toss them with penne, the pizza sauce, and the almond parmesan for a deconstructed version.

Portobello Pizzas

For the Sauce:
1/2 cup  tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons (10mL) dried basil
2 teaspoons (10mL) agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon (5mL) garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon (5mL) onion powder

For the Mushrooms:
6 portabello mushrooms
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper

For the Almond Parmesan:
1/3 cup (60mL) whole almonds
3 tablespoons (45mL) nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons (10mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Generous pinch of sea salt

Toppings:
Thinly sliced red bell pepper
Thinly sliced green bell pepper
Thinly sliced red onions
About 5 sundried tomatoes, not oil-packed, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes

To make the pizza sauce, put all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to medium heat and let cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand while preparing the other ingredients. This can be made in advance and the flavor improves as it stands.

To prepare the portabellos, preheat the oven to 425. Line a 9×13 pan with aluminum foil. Use a moist paper towel to wipe the portabellos clean, then use a fork to scrape out the gills. Put in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes until almost tender, then flip and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes longer until cooked all the way through. Remove from the pan and let drain on paper towels. Drain any excess liquid from the pan.

To make the almond parmesan, put all of the ingredients in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground. You’ll use about half of the mixture in this recipe; store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

After the portabellos are drained, put them back in the pan. Spread pizza sauce inside each one (depending on the size of your portabellos, you might have leftover sauce. You can refrigerator or freeze it or use extra for dipping the mushrooms in). Top with the peppers, onion, and sundried tomatoes, or your other favorite toppings. Sprinkle generously with the almond parmesan cheese. Return to the oven and bake until toppings are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.