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*By small eggplants, I mean about 5 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
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Please keep your mind out of the gutter (haha!
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).
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Suggested Timeline: While your eggplants are in the oven, chop your onion.
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Saute onion and begin cooking the quinoa.
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Put a pot of water on to boil to blanch tomatoes.
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While water is coming to a boil, your eggplants will likely need to be taken out to cool.
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Check on your quinoa if necessary and begin cooking the mushroom, eggplant and garlic mixture.
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Blanch tomatoes when water boils.
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I vote you mix your stuffing in the quinoa pot or rice cooker vessel to avoid dirtying another dish.
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That way, in that same saute pan you used first for the onions and then the mushrooms, you can take care of your tomatoes.
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Four dish meal?
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Awesome.
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Especially since one basically only had water in it.
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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1.
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Remove the stems from the eggplants trying to preserve as much of the eggplant as possible.
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Slice down the middle.
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Leaving about 1/4 inch around the edges, scoop out the seeds and flesh.
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To make this easier, score with a knife.
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Or, if youre special like I am, use a grapefruit spoonit made my life so much easier.
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Chop and reserve flesh for stuffing.
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2.
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Place eggplants on baking sheet open side up.
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Bake until slightly tenderabout 10-15 minutes depending on size.
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Remove from oven and let cool.
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3.
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Split your onion in half.
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Dice half of the onion.
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The other half should be sliced and then cut in half so you have long pieces.
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Put the larger pieces aside.
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4.
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Using about 1/4 cup of the chicken stock, saute diced onion until translucent.
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Add the diced onion and any remaining stock to your rice cooker, or, if youre going to cook your quinoa on the stove, to your pot.
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5.
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Place quinoa in rice cooker or pot along with the rest of the chicken stock.
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Add more liquid in the form of water if necessary (based on your package instructions).
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At this point you should have quinoa, stock, water and diced onions in your chosen vessel.
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Cook as directed.
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6.
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Bring another pot of water to boil, submerge tomatoes, and cook for 2 minutes.
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You could probably just microwave them for a minute too.
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Remove from water and coarsely chop.
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Set tomatoes aside.
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7.
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Place a little olive oil in your pan.
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Add eggplant flesh, sliced mushrooms and minced garlic.
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Cook until tender, and then add basil.
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Salt and pepper to taste.
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Simmer for about 10 minutes.
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8.
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When quinoa is done, mix with eggplant/mushroom mixture.
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Also add in the parmesan and mozzarella.
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Mix together, and check for seasoning.
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Set stuffing aside.
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9.
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Add the coarsely chopped tomatoes and the large pieces of onion to the empty saute pan.
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Then add 1/2 cup of marsala wine.
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Let simmer for 10 minutes until tomatoes and onion are tender.
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10.
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Place tomatoes, onion and any liquid on the bottom of a rectangular glass cake pan.
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Size will vary depending on your eggplants.
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Nestle all of the eggplants into the tomatoes.
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Then, using a small spoon, stuff them full with the quinoa filling.
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Sprinkle a little extra cheese on top if desired.
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11.
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Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.
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Switch to broil, watch closely, and let brown.
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12.
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Serve tomatoes with the eggplant.
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Be sure to take every bite of the eggplant with a bite of tomato.
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Its delicious!
