Moonstruck

and a recipe for stuffed eggplant full of goodness

In the past few months I’ve rediscovered the sky.

Living as I do now, above the treetops, the boundless sky has taken on new meaning and import. When I wake, I can watch the sun pushing its way gloriously up into the sky, making quick work of low-hanging clouds. Every shift of light plays with the horizon, cloudy grey breaking suddenly into a prism of light that feels almost biblical.

In the evening, the sun is a coquette, now pink, streaking to red, flirting with the lowering horizon and leaving a trail for the stars to follow.

Sailor’s delight indeed.

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight

I wake and spend
the last hours
of darkness
with no one

but the moon.
She listens
to my complaints
like the good

companion she is
and comforts me surely
with her light.

—Mary Oliver, Moon and Water

Ah, but it is the moon that I’ve really fallen hard for, especially when it’s full and glowing orange. That giant orb suddenly appearing behind the city skyline is as improbable and wondrous as a child’s drawing, the proportions and scale too exaggerated to be real.

In a frenetic world, stopping to look at that beautiful moon is a tonic, restorative and grounding. It can also act like a bit of a reset button. September’s Harvest Moon is seen by many as time to both celebrate the abundance of the season and also to reflect on our own personal “harvest”, to give thanks for our blessings and to let fall away that which no longer serves us.

Gravitational pulls

That beautiful moon does more than shine bright. With its gravitational pull, it conducts the rising and falling tides in the seas and oceans, with the highest and lowest tides occurring during the new and full moon cycles.

Perhaps it even pulls a bit on us. As humans have studied the moon, some have surmised that, like the tides, our emotions are heightened during a full moon, giving rise to tales of werewolves and loony behaviour.

While there’s little truth in the myths, there is some science that shows we humans do react to changes in the Earth’s magnetic field when the tides flow and fluctuate. As Linda Gates wrote for the BBC, “the idea that the lunar cycle can influence people’s behaviour dates back thousands of years, but has been largely dismissed by modern medicine. But new research suggests there may be some truth to these ancient theories.”

Whether or not we’re impacted by the moon’s waxing and waning, one thing is certain: new cycles can usher in a natural time to reflect and renew. While there are full moon rituals one can follow, it can be as simple as taking time to reflect.

Just as the earth replenishing itself, getting ready for spring, so too, can we till our mental fields, set new intentions and plan for better days ahead.

Stuffed baby eggplants

Adapted from Mangia Bedda

serves six

It’s the first of October and suddenly autumn feels real, no matter what the thermostat says. Time to get sweaters in order, cosy up with a blanket, turn on the oven.

With the last of the harvest still at its prime, my favourite autumn vegetable may well be the shiny and beautiful eggplant. While its nightshade tomato cousin has said farewell until next year, eggplants are the perfect starting point to a lovely fall dinner.

These stuffed eggplants make a wonderful meal: substantially light and perfect paired with a fresh green salad. If you’re using baby eggplants, serve a whole eggplant to each guest (two halves), and if you’re using medium eggplants, cut them crosswise into serving size.

Note: Tomato passata, sometimes called tomato purée, is pureed, strained tomatoes usually sold in bottles. With no additives other than salt, it lets the pure flavour of tomatoes shine through. You can substitute canned tomatoes for a more chunky texture.

6 baby eggplants (about 6 inches long excluding the stem), or two medium eggplants

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for baking

1 small onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 pound minced pork or beef

1 cup tomato passata (see Note) or chopped canned tomatoes with their liquid

6 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese, cut into slices lengthwise and then halved

2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese plus extra for sprinkling on top (optional)

½ cup parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the foil.

2. Cut each eggplant in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh with a spoon and reserve in a bowl, sprinkling with a bit of salt each time. As you finish each eggplant, sprinkle the inside with some salt and place on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the hollowed eggplants and bake  for 15 minutes or more. The shells should be tender but not falling apart.

4. While the eggplant is baking, chop the reserved flesh and squeeze it to release any liquid. Set aside.

5. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 3-5 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and sauté for one minute more. Add the minced pork or beef and sauté for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly to break up any clumps, until the meat is lightly browned and no longer pink.

6. Add the reserved eggplant flesh and the tomato passata and cook until the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally, about ten minutes.
   Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

7. Transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl and add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped parsley and provolone cheese. Mix to combine.

8. Fill the baked eggplant shells, sprinkle extra grated Pecorino Romano cheese on each half if desired and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Serve hot.