Salmon and mushrooms stuffed eggplant

Idea for this recipe appeared when I decided to undertake “emptying the fridge, freezer and shelves project” and found portion of salmon which was too small to serve it for two. I always keep a lot of veggies in my fridge, so decides to try how they will taste together as stuffing for eggplant. Stuffed eggplant  taste really good with fresh broccoli salad (recipe in next post).

Ingredients (for two)

1 medium eggplant

150 gr of raw salmon - cubed

8 chopped small mushrooms

1 chopped medium tomato

1 tbsp. of chopped dill (fresh or dried)

2 tbsp. of grinded cheddar

1 tbsp. of potatoes starch

1 tbsp. of cooking oil

Freshly grounded pepper and salt

You will also need kitchen foil, skillet and baking dish.

1. Cut eggplant in half and scoop out centre using spoon or sharp knife, leaving 1cm thick layer. Sprinkle shells with salt and leave for couple of minutes until juice appears. Rinse it well under running water.
2. Heat the skillet to medium heat. Add cooking oil and mushrooms. Cook mushrooms stirring often to avoid browning for around 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 200C.
4. Combine still hot mushrooms with salmon, tomato, dill, potatoes starch, cheese, salt and pepper.
5. Fill eggplant shelves with this stuffing. 
6. Wrap them tightly in kitchen foil. Make a few holes on the top of wrapping. Put the eggplant halves in large baking dish and place them into oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 180C. Remove foil before serving. Serve it hot.

Husband Rate: 9/10

Spa Eggs Benedict

Start a day without breakfast? Never! I don’t even try to understand why so many people skip the morning meal while there is so many delicious options to start a day. I’m so devoted to my breakfast ritual that I can get up 30 minutes earlier sacrificing sleep time. Always with freshly grounded coffee. I usually try to prepare something healthy or healthier version of traditional meals. This recipe was created during my vegetable craving. I know it may sound weird but yes I’m having vegetable craving along with chocolate craving, meat craving etc. Scientists say that cravings signalize lack of important microelements or vitamins. Whatever! Every reason is good for... good food.

Ingredients

1. 2 slices of multigrain bread
2. ½ of avocado
3. 1 tomato
4. 2 champignon mushrooms
5. 2 large slices of low fat ham
6. 5-6 leaves of fresh baby spinach
7. 2 free range eggs
8. 4 table spoons of white vinegar
9. ½ Teaspoon of cooking oil
10. Black pepper
11. Tea spoon of Marmite (optional)

You will also need a pan, shallow small pot, timer, colander spoon, knife, fork, and clean kitchen cloth (it can’t be fluffy).

Preheat pan greased with cooking oil for 3-5 minutes on high heat and then lower temperature. Rinse vegetable before cooking. Place on the pan sliced tomato, sliced mushrooms, spinach and ham Try not mix them. Grill vegetables (except spinach) and ham on each side until lightly brown. Turn spinach few times until cooked (should be wilted completely but still bright green).

Toast 2 pieces of bread and butter them with avocado. Some people peel avocado first and chop but there is quicker way. Cut avocado into half. Half with pit you can store in the fridge. Pit prevents it from getting dark quickly. The other half cut gently into cross- hatch pattern, careful not to break through avocado skin. Scoop out avocado flesh using a fork and with this same fork spread it on toasts.

Fill the pot with water to about ¾ of the height. Bring it to boil on medium heat and add vinegar. Gently crack and drop eggs into the water (start dropping to water surface as close as possible). Boil eggs for 4 minutes (medium poached). Remove eggs with colander spoon and place them on kitchen cloth to drain off (draining helps to remove taste of vinegar).

Possibly try to make everything in this same time. If you find this multitasking hard prepare toast first then vegetable mushrooms and ham and don’t remove them from the pan to keep temperature until serving.

Place toasts on the plate. Cover avocado spread with vegetables, mushrooms and ham. Put poached eggs on the top of both toast and sprinkle with black pepper. Glaze eggs with Marmite. Eat with fork and knife. What I like most about pouched eggs in this breakfast version is runny yolk spilling onto ham and veggies as delicious souse. Hollandaise topping is absolutely superfluous.

Husband Rate: 10/10 "Outstanding!"