Mediterranean delights

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While meat and fish is a staple in the area, the Mediterranean perhaps has the most diverse vegetarian cuisine in the world.

After the Chinese and Thai, the region has the most variety of vegetables used and coupled with the regional specialities, olive oil, garlic, cheese and tomatoes.

Eggplant Provençal
While many of us turn up our noses to eggplant or brinjal, it features widely in Mediterranean cuisine.

Ingredients
2 medium eggplants
Salt
3 small onions, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, chopped
1 tomato, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
400 gm cooked rice
½ tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250 ml tomato juice
1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Method
Slice the eggplants in half and scoop out the centre. Chop up the scooped out part and keep aside. Sprinkle the eggplant shells with salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and sauté the diced aubergine (the centre part), onion, garlic and tomato. Stir in the rice and oregano and season with salt and pepper.
Dry the aubergine shells with paper towels and brush the skins with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
Spoon the rice mixture evenly into the aubergines. Arrange in a shallow ovenproof dish and pour the tomato juice over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the aubergine is tender. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.

Stuffed Mushrooms from Morocco
Ingredients
¼ cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes
200 gm basmati rice
50 gm baby spinach, finely shredded
8 large mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Pinch of cinnamon powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Cook the rice in salted boiling water. Remove and stir in the baby spinach in the rice. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C. Remove the stalks from the mushrooms and chop them.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the chopped mushroom stalks, onion and garlic till softened.
Stir in the raisins, pine nuts, parsley, coriander, cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and mix with the rice, spinach mixture.
Fill the mushroom caps with the mixture. Place in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Note: Any left over rice will be delicious by itself, served with a crunchy salad.