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1
Trim the stalk ends of the eggplants (you may leave the stalk).
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2
Peel off 1/2-inch-wide strips of skin lengthwise, leaving alternate strips of peel and bare flesh.
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3
Make a deep cut on one side of each eggplant lengthwise, from one end to the other, but not right through, so as to make a pocket.
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4
Soak the eggplants in water with 1 tablespoon of salt and leave for 30 minutes, then drain and dry them.
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5
For the filling, soften the onions gently in the oil, but do not let them color.
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6
Add garlic and stir for a moment or two, until the aroma rises.
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7
Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and tomatoes.
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8
Season to taste with salt, and mix well.
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9
Stuff the eggplants with this mixture and place them tightly side by side, with the opening on top, in a wide, shallow pan.
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10
Pour over them the oil and enough tomato juice to cover, mixed with a little sugar, salt, and the lemon juice.
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11
Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or until the eggplants are soft and the liquid is much reduced.
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12
If you want to bake the stuffed eggplants instead, arrange them in a baking dish, cut side on top, with the rest of the ingredients poured over.
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13
Cover with foil and cook in a preheated 400F oven for 1 hour, or until soft.
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14
Allow to cool before arranging on a serving dish.
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15
Serve cold.
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16
Some cooks fry the eggplants very briefly first in olive oil.
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17
If the eggplants are too large for 1 person, cut them in half and make the slash into the cut side.
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18
For zucchini imam bayildi, hollow 2 pounds zucchini by scooping out their centers from the stem end, using an apple corer (see page 315), taking care not to pierce them right through.
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19
Stuff with the above filling and set the zucchini in layers, side by side, on a bed of tomato slices in a large pan.
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20
Pour over them about 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil mixed with a teaspoon of sugar and a little salt.
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21
Cover the vegetables with water and simmer, covered, over low heat, for 1/2 hour, or until soft.
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22
Small eggplants (3 1/24 1/2 inches long) are usually stuffed whole, although medium-sized ones can also be used.
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23
The usual way to stuff them whole is to cut a slice off the stem end just below the hull and reserve it to use as a cork and to scoop out some of the pulp with a small knife or a pointed spoon.
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24
(Use the discarded pulp for another dish.)
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25
Rolling the eggplant on the table and pressing it with the palm of your hand facilitates this.
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26
The eggplants are stuffed, and closed with the reserved corks.
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27
They are placed upright in a large pan, packed tightly with the cork ends facing upwards, and cooked in stock or tomato juice which is poured over to almost cover them.
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28
Zucchini and small bell peppers, stuffed with the same filling, are sometimes cooked together in the same pot with the eggplants.
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29
A Turkish way is to leave about 1/2 inch of the stalks on, remove the hulls, and peel off 1/2-inch-wide strips lengthwise, leaving alternating strips of bare flesh and shiny peel.
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30
This ensures that the eggplants keep their shape, while the peeled strips allow the bitter juices to escape after sprinkling with salt.
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31
A deep slash is made along the center, right through the eggplant, to within 1/2 inch of each end, and the filling is pressed into this slash.
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32
A third way, used when the eggplants are baked, is to cut the eggplants in half lengthwise.
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33
In this case the eggplants can be a little larger.
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34
They are peeled or not, and a bit of the pulp is scooped out to hold the filling.
