Eggplant lovers and vegetarians everywhere, get ready to try a dish so delicious it will make you swoon. That's what happened to a Turkish imam a long time ago when his new bride prepared this eggplant dish.
"The Priest Fainted," or "Imam Bayildi" (ee-MOM' BAY'-uhl-duh) is a delightful, light, traditonal Turkish recipe made with Japanese eggplants stuffed with lots of onions, garlic and tomato.
First the eggplants and the onion mixture are fried gently in olive oil, then stuffed and put in the oven to cook slowly in their own juices. The result is a beautiful dish with robust flavor that will make anyone faint in delight.
I like to make a big platter of these individual stuffed eggplants for buffet dinners. They also go well in place of salad before your main course meal, or on their own as a light, vegetarian lunch. Have some crusty bread handy to soak up the delicious juices.
Try this recipe for "The Priest Fainted" and get a taste of authentic Turkish cooking. The recipe is surprisingly easy with simple ingredients.
You'll be surprised at what you can create with vegetables you probably have on hand.
Photo © Elizabeth Taviloglu, 2012