Aubergine and mushroom stacks recipe

Aubergine and mushroom stacks recipe

In this aubergine and mushroom stacks dish, we’ve used large Portobello mushrooms, but you could use other flat types for a standalone vegetarian dish, or even use smaller mushrooms to make it into a tasty side dish to accompany steak or chicken.

Mushrooms come in all shapes and sizes and over 100 different types are currently being studied by scientists for their health-giving benefits. Just some of the studies have proved  them to be great little foodie helpers for weight loss, for boosting your immune system and for increasing your vitamin D levels – something we can all definitely benefit from when living on this rather cloudy island.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

8 portobello mushrooms
1 aubergine
4tbsps olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1tbsp tomato puree
150g mature Cheddar cheese, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan oven 170°C, Gas Mark 5.

Put the mushrooms, gills facing up, into a roasting tin.

Cut eight slices from the aubergine (crossways, not lengthways), then chop any remaining aubergine finely.

Heat half of the olive oil in a large frying pan and briefly fry the aubergine slices for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and cook the onion, pepper and chopped aubergine for five to six minutes. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Cook gently for another one to two minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

Spoon half the tomato mixture into the mushrooms and top with a slice of aubergine. Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture on top, then sprinkle with the cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve two mushrooms per person.

Cook’s tip: It helps if you can select mushrooms that are about the same size.

You may also like our ultimate guide to nutrition or this chicken and blackberry salad.