
I took my inspiration for these Armenian-Spiced Stuffed Eggplants with Millet and Dried Apricots from an Armenian soup called vospapour. It is a soup generally made with lentils, dried fruits, and walnuts, the perfect canvas for my juicy apricots. I decided to turn the soup into a stuffing for eggplant. So I went with millet for the consistency and let the flavors take form along the spice mixture, which includes cinnamon, allspice, cayenne, cumin, and turmeric. The addition of fresh pomegranate seeds, which are in season now, takes this dish to the next level!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see it. Please tag @LivityGardens on Instagram and use the hashtag #LivityGardens.
For other recipes using pomegranate, check out this Squash and Bell Pepper Soup with Maple Pecans and Pomegranate and this Dates and Pine Nuts Couscous with Pomegranate Vinaigrette.
PrintArmenian-Spiced Stuffed Eggplant with Millet and Apricots
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet, cooked according to package directions
- 8 small eggplants or 4 large ones
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups pureed tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon allspice
- ยฝ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ยฝ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup Fruit Blissยฎ apricots, chopped
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- Garnishes: fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds
Instructions
Cook the millet in water, according to package directions. Preheat your oven to 375ห. With a sharp-edged spoon, scoop out the flesh from the eggplants, leaving a ยผ inch shell. Place the eggplant shells into a large baking dish (you might need two), drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add about 1/8 inch of water at the bottom of the baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for about 20-30 minutes, depending if you are using small or large eggplants. Remove from the oven, transfer eggplants to a plate and let cool. Chop the eggplant flesh into small cubes.
While the millet is cooking and the eggplant shells are roasting, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the pureed tomatoes, eggplant cubes, red bell pepper, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and spices, and mix well. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender. Add the cooked millet and the apricots. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper. Stuff the eggplant shells with the millet and apricot mixture, garnish with the cilantro and pomegranate seeds and serve. Bon appรฉtit!
Aubergines ร l’armรฉnienne au millet et aux abricots
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 portions 1x
Ingredients
- 1 tasse de millet, cuit selon les directives sur l’emballage
- 8 petites aubergines (ou 4 grosses)
- 2 c. ร soupe d’huile d’olive
- 1 gros oignon, en dรฉs
- 4 gousses d’ail, รฉmincรฉes
- 2 tasses de tomates en purรฉes
- 1 poivron rouge, en dรฉs
- 1 c. ร soupe de sirop d’รฉrable
- 1 c. ร soupe de vinaigre balsamique
- 1 c. ร thรฉ de cannelle moulue
- ยฝ c. ร thรฉ de piment de la Jamaรฏque moulu
- ยฝ c. ร thรฉ de cumin moulu
- 1 c. ร thรฉ de curcuma
- ยฝ c. ร thรฉ de poivre de cayenne
- 1 tasse d’abricots sรฉchรฉs, hachรฉs
- Sel de mer et poivre, au goรปt
- Garnitures: coriandre fraรฎche et graines de grenade fraรฎches
Instructions
Cuire le millet selon les directives sur l’emballage. Prรฉchauffer le four ร 375ห. Avec une cuiller, retirer la chair des aubergines, en laissant une coquille d’environ 1/4 de pouce d’รฉpaisseur. Placer les coques d’aubergines dans un grand plat peu profond, allant au four. Arroser avec un peu d’huile d’olive, de sel de mer, et de poivre. Ajouter environ 1/8 de pouce d’eau dans le fond du plat et couvrir de papier aluminium. Mettre au four et cuire pendant 20 ร 30 minutes, selon la grosseur des aubergines. Retirer du four et placer sur une assiette pour laisser refroidir.
Pendant ce temps, hacher la chair d’aubergine en petits cubes. Chauffer l’huile d’olive dans une grande casserole ou une cocotte, ร feu moyen. Ajouter l’oignon et cuire jusqu’ร ce qu’il soit translucide, environ 4 ร 5 minutes. Ajouter l’ail et cuire une minute de plus. Ajouter les tomates, les cubes d’aubergine, le poivron rouge, le sirop d’รฉrable, le vinaigre balsamique, et les รฉpices et bien mรฉlanger. Porter ร รฉbullition, couvrir, baisser le feu, et laisser mijoter pendant 30 minutes, ou jusqu’ร ce que l’aubergine soit tendre. Ajouter le millet cuit et les abricots. Assaisonner au goรปt de sel de mer et de poivre. Farcir les aubergines avec le mรฉlange, garnir de coriandre fraรฎche et des graines de grenade fraรฎches et servir. Bon appรฉtit!

