Kristi Whitley

Healthy Living

 Eggplant Rollatini

by Chef Del Sroufe

From Forks Over Knives – The Cookbook

Serves 4

3 whole cloves garlic, plus 4 cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1⁄4 cup Vegetable Stock (recipe follows), or low-sodium vegetable broth
2 large eggplants, stemmed and cut lengthwise into 1⁄2-inch slices
1 cup millet
Salt to taste
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
1 celery stalk, diced small
1 carrot, peeled and grated
6 cups packed chopped spinach
1⁄2 cup minced basil
1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast, optional
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl with a fork, or using a mortar and pestle, mash the 3 whole cloves of garlic with the soy sauce. Combine the mashed garlic mixture with the vegetable stock to make a marinade.

Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and brush with some of the marinade. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the slices over, brush with more of the marinade, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the eggplant is tender. Remove the eggplant from the oven and set aside.

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add the millet and salt. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Place the onion, celery, and carrot in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables from sticking to the pan. Add the remaining minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the spinach, basil, and nutritional yeast (if using) and season with black pepper. Cook until the spinach is wilted, then remove from the heat, add the cooked millet, and mix well.

Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Divide the millet mixture among the baked eggplant slices and roll each slice over the millet mixture. Place the eggplant rolls, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce and bake, covered, for 15 minutes.

Vegetable Stock
Makes about 6 cups

1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 sprigs parsley
1/2 cup green lentils, rinsed

Instructions:

Scrub the vegetables and chop them roughly into 1-inch chunks. In a large pot, add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, parsley, and lentils and cook them over high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the vegetables
from sticking to the pan. Add 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Strain the stock carefully and discard the solids.

Note:

Vegetable stock keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator and several months in the freezer. Freeze stock in ice cube trays, and then keep frozen stock cubes on hand to add to dishes that call for small quantities of stock or water.


Tomato Sauce
Makes 4 cups

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced small
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
6 tablespoons basil, minced
2 tablespoons oregano, minced
One 28-ounce can diced tomates, pureed
Salt to taste

Instructions:

Place the onions in a large saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep them from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic, basil, and oregano and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes and salt and cook,
covered, over medium-low heat for 25 minutes.

Instructions: