Eggplant Mozzarella

I'm a week out from a triathlon sprint I signed up for about 6 months ago, and I am freaking the fuck out. I've been training for 15 weeks and I still feel like I am going to fail or drown or not complete it. I keep thinking that I somehow signed up incorrectly or that something is going to happen that will prevent me from accomplishing this. One second I feel like I will be ok and then the next second I can't stop thinking about what a huge mistake this was.

The sprint is nowhere near as intense as a full triathlon, so I feel like sometimes I am being a bit of a baby when it comes to all of this. I tell myself that it's not that hard and anyone could do it and I am actually so annoying for talking about it in the first place.

The only thing in the world that seems to quiet my mind is cooking. My nirvana. As scared or anxious I can be about the future and what's to come, cooking allows that fear to float away. It comes in and out of my mind so quickly it's like a thought that you just thought and now can't remember.

So whatever it is that is stressing you out, or making you question things, find your version of what cooking is for me. And everything else should float away. At least for the moment.

The original recipe is from The Kitchn. The main thing I changed is that I halved the Parmesan so I dub this recipe Eggplant Mozzarella instead of Eggplant Parmesan. Revolutionary.

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups marina sauce, divided
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves, plus more for topping
1 1/2 cups whole-milk mozzarella (the original recipe says shredded but I bought a large ball and just chopped it up)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Leaving a 1/2 inch border, use a pairing knife to cut around the insides of each half, then scoop out the flesh with a spoon, creating boats out of the shells. Coarsely chop the flesh and set aside.

2. Rub the insides of the hollowed eggplant shells with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place the shells cut-side up in a 13x9 inch baking dish. Roast until tender (there should be no resistance when pierced with the tip of a pairing knife), about 25 minutes. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped eggplant flesh, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant is tender, 7 to 9 minutes.

4. Stir in 1 cup of the marinara and cook until heather through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the basil, 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and stir to combine.

5. Heat the broiler to high. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Transfer the eggplant shells to a work surface. Pour the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce into the baking dish. Return the eggplant shells to the baking dish. Spoon the filling evenly into the shells. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. Brown until the cheese is melted and bubbling, 3-5 minutes. To serve, top the eggplant shells with marinara sauce from the baking dish and extra basil.