Recipe - Eggplant Boats Stuffed With Gorgonzola Polenta

1 One half pound Or 2large eggplant
Salt and pepper
6 tablespoon Extravirgin olive oil
4 cup Vegetable broth
1 cup Coarse grind polenta
One fourth pound Kalamata olives; pitted and
finely chopped
One fourth pound Gorgonzola cheese
1 md Onion; minced
1 tablespoon Chopped fresh lemon thyme or
combination of thyme and
lemon zest

1~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tips from the eggplants, wash and
slice in half lengthwise. Make little crosscuts in the pulp, sprinkle with
salt and pepper, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place on a
baking sheets, cut side up, and roast for 20 minutes.

2~ Meanwhile, heat 3 cups broth to boiling in a large saucepan. Reduce the
heat to low and add the polenta in a stead stream, whisking constantly,
until thickened. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring frequently and adding
additional broth if necessary. The finished polenta will have a thick,
creamy consistency.

3~ Rinse a 14x16inch metal pan with cold water. Shake off the excess water
but do not dry. Stir the olives and chese into the polenta and pour into
the pan. Cool to room temperature.

4~ Remove the eggplants from the oven and carefully scoop out the pulp,
leaving about 1/4inch in the shell. Chop finely. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in
a skillet and saute the onion over low heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the eggplant pulp and saute for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

5~ Using your hands, crumble the cooled polenta into the eggplant mixture
and mix well.

6~ Fill the eggplant boats with the polenta and eggplant. Place in an
ovenproof pan. Drizzle the boats with the remaining oil, sprinkle with
lemon thyme, and bake in a 450 degree oven for approximately 20 minutes.
Serve at room temperature.

VARIATIONS: For a creamier filling, add 1/4cup cream at the end of step 5.

MAKE AHEAD: The polenta can be made up to 1 day in advance and
refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before assembling the boats.

Melanzana Ripiena. Serves 4, takes 90 mins with moderate difficulty. I
thought I had tasted just about every variation of stuffed eggplant there
was to taste. And then I was invited for dinner at my friend's house and
she served the most inventive, the most savory, the most wonderful stuffed
eggplant I have ever eaten. Here it is, Courtesy of Adriana da Prato. AB

Recipe from SOLO VERDURA, by Anne Bianchi (1997 Ecco Press) Edited by Pat
Hanneman mcPER SERVING 49% cff: 649 cals; 36.3g fat assuming that all the
oil gets eaten.

Recipe by: SOLO VERDURA, by Anne Bianchi

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by KitPATh phannema@wizard.ucr.edu on Mar 16,
1998