Ingredients

1 pound eggplant
salt
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, chopped
2 medium firm mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp. breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
5 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. basil
fresh lemon juice
30 medium whole mushrooms

Cooking Instructions

Cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Make crisscross patterns in the pulp and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 3o minutes. Rinse thoroughly and drain well, drying with paper towels. Peel and coarsely chop. Heat 2 Tbls. oil in a skillet over a medium heat. Cook eggplant till softened. Let cool. Heat remaining oil and cook onion, celery, chopped mushrooms and garlic for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and return eggplant to skillet. Stir in breadcrumbs, tomato paste and 3 Tbls. parsley. Add basil. Continue to cook for 4 minutes. Just before serving, wipe mushrooms with cloth dampened in lemon juice. Carefully remove the stems. Fill each cap with some of the eggplant mixture. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve. You can serve the mushrooms hot by baking briefly until warm and then sprinkling with parsley.

My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” (Psalms 42:3)