When eggplant season is in full swing, I am always looking for cool ways to eat them up, like these Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls. Added bonus for Marc if the new recipes are not too “eggplanty”; he gets tired of them way before I do. Since spaghetti with marinara is one of Marc’s favorite foods, Eggplant Mushroom “Meat”balls was a no brainer. It’s based on a recipe for vegetarian meatloaf I made a long time ago, and is another great late summer, early fall transition recipe because it’s a great base for some of that banged-up tomato sauce. The breadcrumbs make the meatballs hearty and filling and the eggplant and mushrooms make it rich and meaty tasting, without the meat. 1 large eggplant (1 – 1 ½ pounds) 1 egg 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (1 teaspoon if dried) 1 tablespoon fresh basil (1 teaspoon if dried) 2 teaspoons salt (inverse to the amount of cheese you pick) ½ teaspoon black pepper 4 ounces parmesan cheese; reserve some for garnish 2 cloves garlic 1 cup bread crumbs (I had homemade ½ white, ½ whole wheat on hand) 2 tablespoons olive oil Banged-Up Tomato Sauce Parmesan Cherry Tomatoes Preheat … Continue reading →