Fresh mushrooms with eggplant and tomato

6 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
1poundsEggplant
Salt
3tablespoonsOlive oil
1mediumOnion, chopped
1largeCelery stalk, chopped
2mediumsFirm mushrooms, chopped
teaspoonGarlic, chopped
1largeTomato, chopped
2tablespoonsBreadcrumbs
1tablespoonTomato paste
5tablespoonsFresh parsley, chopped
1teaspoonBasil
Fresh lemon juice
30mediumsWhole mushrooms

Directions

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Make crisscross patterns in the pulp & sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 3o minutes. Rinse thoroughly & drain well, drying with paper towels. Peel & coarsely chop.

Heat 2 tb oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Cook eggplant till softened. Let cool.

Heat remining oil & cook onion, celery, choped mushrooms & garlic for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes & return eggplant to skillet. Stir in breadcrumbs, tomato paste & 3 tb parsley. Add basil. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.

Just before serving, wipe mushrooms with cloth dampened in lemon juice. Carefully remove the stems. Fill each cap with some of the eggplant mixture. Sprinkle with remaining parsley & serve.

You can serve the mushrooms hot by baking briefly until watm & then sprinkling with parsley.

Joel Rapp, "Mother Earth's Vegetarian Feasts"