stuffed mediterranean vegetables

• 1 aubergine
• 3-4 peppers
• olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, grated
• 250g cooked long grain rice
• chopped herbs (dill, mint or basil)
• 100g feta or 1 mozzarella ball, crumbled/chopped finely
• 70g pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 2 tbsp raisins or currants

preheat oven to 200˚C

cut out the stalks from the top of the peppers and carefully take out the seeds. cut the aubergine in half lenghtways. scoop out the flesh leaving about 1/2 -1 cm thick "dishes".

bring a large pan of water to the boil and blanche the aubergine halves for 6 minutes and the peppers for 3 minutes.

drain the vegetables carefully and place them in an oiled dish.

heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. dice the aubergine flesh finely and add to the pan together with the mushrooms and carrot.

cover and cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened. mix with the rice, pine nuts, herbs, raisins and cheese. season with salt and pepper.

fill the vegetables, drizzle a little olive oil over them and bake for 20 minutes.

the mixture can also be used to fill large tomatoes (no blanching necessary).