Marilyn

Eggplant Roll-ups

For variation, you can use different herbs for this recipe, such as dried Herbes De Provence to baste the eggplant. Mushroom Cashew Gravy recipe goes good with this dish if you want an alternative to the Mushroom Marinara Sauce recipe.

2 eggplants, medium, peeled and sliced=14 slices about 3/8” thick) See step #2
1-3 ounce package *sun-dried tomatoes (soaked for 30 minutes) drain and mince
1 pound tofu, firm (press out water)
3 tablespoons liquid aminos
2 tablespoons garlic, rough chop
1 tablespoon+1-1/2 teaspoons Italian herbs, sprinkled on top of rolls, before baking
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (mix in with dried herbs, above)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
olive oil spray
Sauce: 2-3 tablespoons Mushroom Marinara Sauce per roll

Directions
1.    Preheat oven to 350 ยบ F.
2.    Slice the eggplant stem to bottom, (not side-to-side) into 14 slices, about 3/8” thick.
3.    Spray 2 large cookie sheet pans with olive oil and lay out eggplant slices.  Bake for about 30 minutes covered with tin foil. Turn the slices over and drizzle olive oil and *dried herbs on top and continue baking about 5 minutes more, until almost tender. The eggplant needs to be tender enough to fold, but not break apart.
4.    Blend tofu, liquid aminos, lemon juice and garlic until smooth and add the mixture to a medium size mixing bowl.
5.    In a food processor, pulse sun-dried tomatoes until chopped fine.  Spoon the tomato
     mixture into the mixing bowl with the tofu, gently folding in the fresh minced basil.
6.    When the eggplant is cool, lay out the slices, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon measure of filling on top of the smaller end of the un-seasoned side of the eggplant, rolling it up until the other side is met.  Place eggplant rolls in a 9” x 12” oil-sprayed Pyrex baking dish. Bake the roll-ups seam side down, so that they do not come apart, for 25-30 minutes.
7.    Place 2-3 tablespoons of the heated Mushroom Marinara Sauce recipe on top of each of the eggplant rolls and serve.  

Yield 14 rolls

*Assemble rolls so that dried herbs are on top, for presentation.
Instead of soaking *sun-dried tomatoes, you can also purchase an 8.5 ounces jar from Trader Joes.  Drain oil, mince l/2 cup and add in step 5.
To press water out in tofu, place a plate or board on the bottom and top and put a heavy weight on the top for about one hour.

Excerpt from Vegan Bite By Bite by Marilyn Peterson