Eggplants stuffed with rice

How to prepare aubergines stuffed with rice .

For this recipe with aubergines you don’t need complicated ingredients.

It is a cheap but very complete dish. Prepare a meal easily and quickly to take to work, it will be a perfect taper to eat healthy and with flavor.

This peculiar vegetable can be found all year round in stores, thanks to greenhouse crops, but its actual season runs from September to December. In these months you will find it very beautiful and at very cheap prices.

Eggplant is a very grateful vegetable, which can be prepared in countless ways, and due to its shape, it is perfect for filling with other ingredients.

On the blog we already have other recipes in this regard, such as aubergines stuffed with minced meat or aubergines stuffed with meat with bechamel .

Today we are going to change the main ingredient and fill them with a vegetable rice . Then we will give the final touch in the oven, gratin cheese to make them even more appetizing.

In order not to fail with the rice we have used  round SOS rice , we always have it perfect for any recipe.

In this case here you have a vegetarian recipe ideal for children, some aubergines stuffed with rice and very healthy and juicy vegetables.

Preparation of aubergines

1. When we cook with aubergines, we check that its inner meat is slightly oxidized in contact with the air.
2. We wash the eggplants. We remove the tail and leaves. We cut them in half (lengthwise).
3. In a saucepan with plenty of salted water, add the eggplants and let them rest for 15 minutes. So we remove the bitterness.
4. After time, we remove and dry them. In other recipes we precook them for a while in the oven but we can also cook them.
5. We empty the eggplants, leaving a thick edge along with the skin, so that they can last well in the oven.
6. We reserve the resulting eggplant pulp on a plate, covering with transparent film.
7. We cook the rest for 5 minutes in boiling water. We withdraw and reserve.

Preparation of the filling. Eggplant rice

1. Let’s go with the rice. Chop the onion, garlic, tomatoes and the eggplant pulp into “brunoise”.
2. We clean the mushrooms and chop them into sheets. In a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil, fry the onion and garlic first.
3. Then we are adding the tomato, the eggplant and finally the mushrooms.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. With the sofrito prepared, add the rice, 2 parts of water, and cook over medium heat 17 minutes.
6. We try and salt to taste if necessary.
7. We are checking the point of the rice and the level of the liquid, depending on what your kitchen uses.

Baking and final presentation of the stuffed aubergines

1. We preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 200º C.
2. Once the rice is done, we fill the halves of the eggplants and place them in a baking dish.
3. Add a generous layer of grated cheese on top of the rice, especially for gratin.
4. We place in the central tray and gratinate 5 minutes at 200º C with heat above and air (gratin function)
5. It is very easy, you just have to be on the lookout and see that the cheese is melted and taking on a toasted color.
6. We serve hot on the table.

To enjoy this delicious dish. It is delicious! I assure you, at home not even the first one was left.

Be sure to visit our selection of recipes with rice   that we have on the blog.

You can see all the photos of the step by step in the next album of this recipe for aubergines stuffed with rice . Do not miss any detail and you will get a yummy recipe.

Tips for some yummy eggplants

• Eggplant rusts, from a white color to a soft green, but don’t worry, it still retains all its flavor and texture.
• Eggplants stuffed with rice with vegetables can be adapted to any menu, depending on their size.
• We can serve them accompanying a protein dish such as meat, fish or legumes, or they can be a light single dish since they are very satiating.
• The arrival of the eggplant in Spain dates back to the Middle Ages, brought by Arab merchants from the lands of the East, placing its origin in India. Its cultivation spread to all the countries bathed by the Mediterranean, and contributed to alleviating many times of famine.
• The variety that we usually find in Spain is “Globosa”, with a spherical or globe shape, with a dark purple hue. And within our country, many of you will know the ” Almagro Eggplants ” in Ciudad Real, which are prepared with pickles. This recipe and way to preserve them is thanks to the Arabs.