Turkey And Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant Recipes

MEAT STUFFED EGGPLANT RECIPE (TURKEY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways and place on a large baking tray open side up. Brush/drizzle with a little olive oil (2 tablespoons) and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little. Keep the oven on.
• Whilst the eggplant is in the oven prepare the sauce. In a large frying pan heat up 2 tablespoons of the oil, add the garlic and onion and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes stirring often. Add the meat, mash using a fork and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and spices, stir and cook over medium/high heat for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the eggplants have cooled a little scoop out the flesh leaving about 8 mm around the edges (you can do this using a knife and either a melon baller or a large spoon). Place the pulp, along with HALF of the sauce in a blender and whiz for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Add this mixture to the remaining sauce and stir thoroughly.
• Place a generous amount of the sauce inside the eggplant halves, drizzle with a little oil and bake for 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.

TURKEY AND QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• For the quinoa: Over medium-high heat, bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. As the broth is coming to boil, add the quinoa, then stir and cover. Reduce the heat to a simmer and steam the quinoa until the grains pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• For the peppers: Set a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and add the turkey, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring with a wooden spoon and breaking up the pieces. Deglaze with the wine. While the turkey is browning, rinse the peppers and pat dry. With the pepper lying down on its side, cut off the top and remove the seeds and membrane. Repeat for the remaining peppers. Leave the stem on the top for presentation. Set aside.
• Once the turkey is browned, shut off the heat and fold in the quinoa, kale and pepitas. Mix to incorporate all ingredients thoroughly. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if required.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the panko and Parmesan. Add a drizzle of olive oil to lightly moisten and season with salt and pepper. Set the peppers on a roasting tray cut-side up and stuff each with about 1/3 cup of filling. Top each pepper half with about 2 tablespoons of panko-Parmesan topping. Cover loosely with foil, place in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. When the peppers are tender and cooked through, remove the foil and turn on the broiler. Cook under the broiler to brown the panko breadcrumbs and crisp up, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to rest before serving.
• To present, place 1/4 cup of Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Sauce on a plate and place the roasted, stuffed pepper halves in the middle of sauce. Garnish with parsley sprigs.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the tomatillos onto a baking sheet. Toss the tomatillos with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place into the oven. Roast until nicely charred, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Combine the tomatillos, 1/4 cup water, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, avocado, garlic, jalapenos, onions, lime juice and cilantro in a blender and puree until completely smooth. Place in the refrigerator and allow the sauce to settle before serving, so it is smooth.

QUINOA AND TURKEY STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Cut the tops off each tomato and scoop out a small amount of the insides. Discard tops and insides.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir zucchini, green bell pepper, garlic, and salt until tender, about 10 minutes. Add ground turkey; cook and stir until turkey is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir quinoa and 1/2 of the tomato sauce into the ground turkey mixture.
• Arrange tomatoes in a baking dish. Fill each tomato with turkey-quinoa mixture. Pour remaining tomato sauce over each stuffed tomato. Pour a 1/2 inch of water into the bottom of the baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.