Aubergine stuffed with tomato and spinach quinoa

Ingredients

• 100g (heaped ½ cup) quinoa
• 1 large aubergine
• Olive oil, for cooking
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 500g (1lb 2oz) passata (strained tomatoes)
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 100g (3½oz) feta cheese
• Sea salt

Method

This is a lovely, flavoursome dish that is very filling and satisfying. Great with salad or sautéed greens.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for around 20 minutes, or until it is cooked (it will soften and a small taillike projection will appear on the side). Drain and set aside.

Cut the aubergine in half lengthways and scoop out the flesh from the skin, taking care to leave the skin intact. Cut the flesh into dice and set aside. Place the scooped-out skins on a baking tray, hollow side down, and add a little water to the tray. Bake at the top of the oven for about 15 minutes, then turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and sauté until the onion has softened. Add the diced aubergine flesh and the passata (strained tomatoes) and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the aubergine is cooked and the passata has reduced to a thick sauce.

Add the drained quinoa to the tomato and aubergine mixture, and mix well. Simmer for 4–5 minutes, then throw in the spinach and continue to cook until the spinach wilts. Spoon the quinoa mixture into the aubergine skins, crumble over the feta and bake for another 10 minutes.

Extract taken from How to Cook Healthily by Dale Pinnock (Quadrille £20.00 RRP) Photography by Issy Croker

Visit our aubergine section for more aubergine recipes, including aubergine and mushroom stack and aubergine and chickpea curry.