We have recently made a conscious effort to eat vegetarian and vegan more often than not. We still love all variety of meats, poultry, and seafood—but we know that too much meat is not what is best for our health, especially as we get older… and wish to get even older and stay healthy.
This started with my aforementioned menu planning (An Egg-cellent Find). We started seeing patterns in our meals and realized it was a good time to make some changes. One particular thing we noticed is that, even when eating vegetarian, we eat a lot of starch-based meals.
As you know, Italian cuisine is one of our favorites, which accounts for our pasta intake and quite a few risottos. Our carbohydrate-laden lifestyle also includes a lot of pan-Asian dishes, which often include rice. All of these are very easy to make plant-based. However, in making our dietary adjustments, we decided that having more vegetarian meals without starches would also be a beneficial move for us. (Note: we love our carbs and are not always successful in omitting them from meals!)
Enter this week’s recipe. A fantastic stuffed eggplant dish based on one by Katie Perla in her new book Food of the Italian South. It is a beautiful and flavorful dish, and I can serve it to guests without even mentioning that, “We’re having vegetarian tonight.” No one would even notice. It’s hearty and flavorful and can be served with a nice green salad. (While not an official review, I do love this book and highly recommend it!)
Oh, and the title of this post? Scarpone refers to boots… or “eggplant as boots.” In other parts of Italy, the recipe is called Melanzane a Barchetta, which means “little boat.“
I paired this wonderful Mediterranean dish with a Caladoc Rosé from the Southern Rhône region of France. To read more, please visit the Provence WineZine.
~ David
Recipe, slightly adjusted, is from Katie Perla’s Food of the Italian South.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHUue7OXfU
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Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food1958: It Was a Very Good Year - Provence WineZine
November 6, 2021 at 6:58 am[…] eggplant — may not have been the perfect pairing… but it was good. To see the recipe, go to Cocoa & Lavender. I think it would have been much better had I paired it with a stuffed eggplant without the cheese, […]
Heidi
November 6, 2021 at 3:53 pmYumm—on our list for next week’s menu!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:41 amSo glad you are going to make this!
John / Kitchen Riffs
November 6, 2021 at 7:59 amWe’re eating a lot more veggie/vegan too — just because we like it. Good point about having to be careful about the carbs (which we love!). When we make Asian-style dishes, we often just skip the rice — heresy, maybe, but we don’t think it really adds that much pleasure to the meal. Won’t skip rice stick or other noodles, though! Anyway, let’s talk about today’s dish — what a beauty.! Like eggplant, a lot, and this is such a great way to serve it. Such a satisfying dish, too. Nice recipe — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:42 amI should try skipping the rice but that irresistible way it holds onto the sauce… well, like I said, I can try… Thanks. John, for your kind comment!
Fran @ G'day Souffle
November 6, 2021 at 8:07 amYum- looks delicious and I think I’ll give this recipe a try! Leaving the stems of the egg plants on makes all the difference, turning them into little boats rather than looking like boring logs! Well done!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:43 amI hadn’t thought of the stems that way, Fran, but you are so right!
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
November 6, 2021 at 8:17 amThis looks so tasty and indeed a wonderful alternative to meat dishes. The combination of eggplants, olives and capers, reminded me of the tasty Sicilian Caponata, which I make often. Definitely my kind of boots! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:44 amIt is reminiscent of a caponata, Ronit! I hadn’t thought of that.
Christina
November 6, 2021 at 1:21 pmI haven’t yet seen Katie Parla’s new book, but I’m sure it’s filled with amazing recipes! This sounds great. Although I’m usually not a fan of eggplant (unless it’s pickled), I really think I would enjoy this dish! Thanks for sharing, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:45 amDon’t you love Katie’s books? So beautiful… And don’t worry, I’ll eat all the eggplant you leave! 😉
Eha
November 6, 2021 at 3:27 pmWhat a truly moreish recipe I shall copy at the earliest opportunity ! Without any pre-olanning I am definitely eating fewer meat-based meals these days and not even noticing this but, as a nutritionist, am not cutting down on my ‘good carb’ requirements. Root vegetables and brown rice and pasta are ‘holy’ in this household 🙂 ! Next to my love of Asian cooking I have always cherished Italian food . . . it is only during the past decade I have realized most came from the north and how ignorant I was of the ‘tasty’ south ! Your book reference will be carefully researched – oh, there was meant to be a book moratorium !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:46 amCookbook moratorium…. yes, for me, too. But obviously that didn’t work. 🙂
Frank
November 7, 2021 at 8:34 amI’m a “flexitarian” myself and love my veggies. More out of habit and preference than health concerns, but it’s nice to know it’s a healthy way to eat as well. Stuffed eggplants are wonderful and this version looks spectacular. And did I mention I love cheese, especially when it’s melted and bubbly from the oven.. ?
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:48 amI’m just do grateful that cheese isn’t a carb, Frank! I need to try your version of stuffed eggplant now!
Carolyne
November 7, 2021 at 2:49 pmIt may not have been a “perfect” pairing, but the recipe looks delicious.
x
C
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:49 amThanks — it is a great recipe, Carolyne! Sometimes pairings work, sometimes they don’t. C’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?
Ron
November 8, 2021 at 5:36 amAubergine is a loved veggie in our house, so any recipe that includes them is fantastic. I think I like the little boat name version best.
We don’t get American-style mozzarella here, only fresh. Do you think fresh will work or should I go with a good solid melting cheese?
About those carbs, we still have carbs but only once a day, and pasta and bread on the table for the same meal is a no-no, but I’m coming out of carb withdrawal now so all is well. I can’t imagine removing all carbs from one’s diet voluntarily, but each to their own.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 8, 2021 at 6:51 amHi Ron, I think the fresh mozzarella would work really well… it would just give a slightly different texture. Another friend asked if she could use cheddar — why not, as long as it’s not too sharp. This is a great dish for some experimentation!
2pots2cook
November 9, 2021 at 12:38 amBeautiful vegetarian lunch indeed ! We also use whatever cheese is in the fridge; as long as it melts it’s OK. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
November 9, 2021 at 6:50 amExactly — but I think milder cheeses might be preferable! Glad you like the recipe, Davorka.
The-FoodTrotter
November 10, 2021 at 1:41 pmWhat a gorgeous aubergine dish! I must said I’m always worried about cooking this vegetable that can turn pretty bland and soggy… But I guess with such a good seasonning could turn any aubergine into an absolute marvel!
David Scott Allen
November 13, 2021 at 4:30 amWe used to feel eggplant/aubergine was dull but, recently, we have found so many ways to make it interesting! Glad you like this recipe!
Chef Mimi
November 11, 2021 at 9:09 amI could eat this three times a day.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:17 amWith all the leftovers we had, Mimi, I think we did it is three times a day!
Raymund
November 11, 2021 at 1:11 pmYou actually made me want to do this, if I saw this earlier this most probably was our dinner but I already the aubergines I had drizzled with balsamic viniagrette. Definitely will buy another bunch and try this recipe out
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:18 amI’m glad my evil plot is working… Especially if it’s making you want to make these, Raymund!
Jean | Delightful Repast
November 11, 2021 at 1:18 pmDavid, we are on the same wavelength. I’ve been thinking about stuffed eggplant all week! Just yesterday I wrote myself a note to look up my recipe for it. Yours look gorgeous and are giving me such motivation now!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:18 amI’ve started thinking about all the different ways we could stuff them. The ideas are endless! I’ve even thought of stuffing them with eggplant mousse! Good luck with yours, Jean — I’ll be interested to see what you come up with.
Pauline
November 12, 2021 at 7:39 pmThis is my kind of meal David. I love cooking with eggplants,aubergines or boats, such a delicious combination of ingredients yet inherently simple. Your photographs sell this dish so beautifully as well. Definitely on my list of recipes to try. Thanks for the inspiration, Pauline.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:19 amThank you so much, Pauline! It’s always fun when we, as food bloggers, can inspire one another.
Valentina
November 12, 2021 at 10:07 pmI love this presentation of this and these smaller/baby eggplants. These would be so much fun for a vegetarian dinner party. And thank you for the tomato grating video. (In Spain they grate tomatoes like this over bread for breakfast, with a drizzle of olive oil and coarse salt.) 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:20 amI tend great my tomatoes quite often. It works really well and gives you a wonderful flavor.
Jeff the Chef
November 13, 2021 at 9:53 amI’m not a fan of eggplant, unless it’s an emoji, but I could get past that for this dish. It looks absolutely delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 13, 2021 at 10:21 amI love that the emoji is your favorite eggplant! That made me laugh out loud. There was a day when I didn’t really like eggplant, but now it’s one of my favorite things to cook. For me, it’s the method… I think when I was younger, it just seems so slimy!
sherry
November 16, 2021 at 12:10 ami just love eggplant!! it is so very delicious. strangely i don’t usually like any food that is squishy so that’s an oddity 🙂 this looks sooooo good. i must admit it is almost dinner time and i am hungry!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 7:53 amUsually it is eggplant’s squishiness that offends — but I tend to think of it as silky, which helps! Glad you like the recipe, Sherry!
EASYFOODSMITH
November 16, 2021 at 4:39 amNot an eggplant fan but I love it when it gets roasted or baked and served with cheese. So delicious!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 7:54 amThanks, Taruna!
sippitysup
November 19, 2021 at 4:02 pmWe’re spending 3 months in Greece next spring. I’m collecting recipes that seem perfect for a Greek island. This is the first recipe to go on the list. PS If you find yourself in the Aegean next spring stop by. We’re taking in guests! GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
November 20, 2021 at 7:55 amThat trip sounds fantastic, Greg — if we find ourselves in Greece, we will stop by. (Sadly, I fear my work schedule will make this impossible…)
Inger
November 20, 2021 at 10:45 amOkay maybe I’ll have to give eggplant another chance!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 23, 2021 at 5:15 amYou should! 😉
John
November 20, 2021 at 1:20 pmWhat a wonderful way of cooking eggplant. We often resort to nasu dengaku (Japanese miso-glazed eggplant) in this household, but this preparation looks and sounds divine. Definitely trying this one!
Cocoa & Lavender
November 23, 2021 at 5:16 amWell, John, now I need to try your Japanese eggplant! That sounds really good…
Accords mets et vins de la Vallée du Rhône Caladoc - Blog Voyage
January 13, 2022 at 8:19 am[…] appariement — pour Melanzane à Sacarpone, une aubergine farcie du sud de l’Italie – n’était peut-être pas l’accord […]