Recipe: Venezuelan Eggplant Stuffed with Red Peppers

Venezuelan Eggplant Stuffed with Red Peppers
rec.food.veg/Mary Howard (1992)

Red Pepper is a much loved vegetable in Central and South America, as it is in the United States. Eggplant is also common. I found a Venezuelan vegetable dish combining eggplant and red pepper. I've turned it into a main meal as a stuffed eggplant with a red pepper-tomato filling, and have also added some tofu to the dish (I doubt the South Americans use much tofu, but one is allowed such liberties!!).

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 large red pepper, chopped
1/2 tomato puree
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste

1 eggplant (aubergine)
1/2 package (about 5 ounces) silken tofu
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the onion and red pepper, adding a little water if needed. Add the puree, vinegar, tomato paste, and salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until very thick, about 15 minutes.

Microwave or boil the eggplant until soft but not mushy. Cut in half lengthwise, and scrape out the insides, but leave enough to form a shell.

Chop the insides and add them to the red pepper mixture.

Blend the tofu until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Coat the eggplant shells with the tofu, then spoon in the red pepper mixture.

Top with the breadcrumbs. Put the two eggplant halves in a glass pie dish and bake about 45 minutes. Serve with a green salad and whole wheat hot bread, or potatoes, if desired.