serves 4 to 8
These deliciously sweet, vegan stuffed eggplants are a riff on a classic dish, imam bayldi, eggplants stuffed with onions and tomatoes. It’s one of the great ladera (olive oil–based) dishes of Greece.
½ cup (120 ml) extra-virgin Greek olive oil, plus more as needed
6 red onions, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
¼ cup (35 g) Greek or other seedless raisins
3 tablespoons petimezi (grape molasses)
1 to 2 tablespoons Greek balsamic vinegar
4 medium eggplants, stems attached
1 cup (50 g) chopped fresh mint
1 cup (50 g) chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the broiler with a rack 8 inches (20 cm) from the heat source. Line a baking sheet or shallow roasting pan with parchment paper.
In a deep skillet or wide pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until wilted and just starting to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has cooked off. Stir in the raisins, petimezi, and vinegar. Set aside to cool.
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, keeping the stems intact. Using a sharp paring knife, score the flesh of each eggplant half in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to draw the knife completely through the flesh into the skin or to puncture the skin in any way. Lavishly brush the eggplant skin and flesh with olive oil. Place the eggplant halves flesh-side down on the prepared pan. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes, until the skin starts to char lightly, then turn using kitchen tongs and broil until the flesh is tender but still al dente, 6 to 7 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Switch the oven to bake at 350ºF (175ºC). Oil a glass or ceramic baking dish just big enough to hold the eggplant halves snugly.
Using a tablespoon, carefully scoop out most of the flesh from the eggplant halves, leaving enough against the skin to keep it firm enough to hold up to the filling.
Coarsely chop the eggplant flesh and stir it into the onion-tomato mixture. Mix in the mint and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the eggplant halves in the prepared baking dish. Spoon equal amounts of the onion-tomato mixture into the eggplant halves. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the onions are soft. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and serve, drizzled with additional olive oil, if desired.