Aubergine-and-Bulgur-Stuffed Vegetables

Ingredients for Aubergine-and-Bulgur-Stuffed Vegetables

• 1 (1 1/2-lb) aubergine

• 8 small round tomatoes (about 2 1/2 inches in diameter

• 1.1kg total)

• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt

• 4 small courgette (675g), halved lengthwise

• 1 large onion, chopped (475ml )

• 90ml extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing vegetables

• 130g medium bulgur

• 1/2 teskedar socker

• 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

• 3/4 teaspoons black pepper

• 45g dried currants

• 4 small (not baby) yellow or orange peppers with stems (900g total), halved lengthwise through stem, then ribs and seeds discarded

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet

Heat skillet over moderate heat until hot, then cook aubergine, turning occasionally with tongs, until blackened on all sides and tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, peel aubergine, then cut flesh into 1/2-inch pieces.

While aubergine cooks, core tomatoes and cut off top 1/2 inch from each. Cut tops into 1/4-inch dice and set aside. Scoop out insides of tomatoes with a melon-ball cutter or a spoon into a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl, leaving shells intact. Force pulp and juice through sieve, discarding seeds. Add enough water to juice to total 475ml and set aside. Sprinkle tomato shells with 1/4 teaspoons salt, then invert onto a rack set in a shallow baking pan and drain 20 minutes.

Scoop flesh from courgette halves into a bowl using a melon-ball cutter or spoon, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shells. Coarsely chop flesh and set aside.

Cook chopped courgette and onion in 60ml oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bulgur, sugar, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoons pepper and cook, stirring, until bulgur is coated, about 1 minute. Add juice mixture, diced tomatoes, and currants and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cover skillet, then let stand until liquid is absorbed and bulgur is tender, about 10 minutes.

While bulgur stands, put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 204°C.

Arrange tomato and courgette shells, cut sides up, in an oiled 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan. Brush insides of shells with oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoons pepper (total), then sprinkle courgette only with 1/4 teaspoons salt. Put pepper halves in an oiled 13- by 9-inch baking pan, then brush insides with some oil and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper.

Stir aubergine pieces, 2 tablespoons parsley, and salt and pepper to taste into bulgur mixture. Spoon stuffing into vegetable shells, then drizzle stuffing with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cover pans loosely with foil.

Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetable shells are just tender but not falling apart, 20 to 30 minutes for tomatoes and courgette and 30 to 40 minutes for peppers. Cool vegetables to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons parsley just before serving.

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