Falafel Stuffed Eggplant with Tahini Sauce and Tomato Relish

Ingredients

Tahini sauce:
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I left this out because I was didn't have lemons)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 garlic clove, minced
Eggplant
• 2 large eggplants
• Cooking spray
Falafel stuffing
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 large eggs (I omitted the eggs and added an extra 1 Tbs olive oil.)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained (I used 2 cups home cooked chickpeas instead of the canned)
Tomato Relish
• 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/2 cup vertically sliced red onion (I used scallions)
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (again left this out because I was out of lemons)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your grill over medium heat.
2. Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and score the flesh in a crisscross pattern.
3. Place the eggplant cut side down on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Place the baking sheet on the preheated grill and bake for about 10 minutes, until eggplant is tender.
4. Bring inside and let them cool a little.
5. While the eggplant are cooling place all the ingredients for the falafel stuffing into a food processor and process until mostly smooth. Some chunks are good.
6. Scoop out the inside of the eggplant, leaving 3/4 inch of the the flesh all the way around.
7. Reserve the insides for another use. (Like baba ganoush!)
8. Fill the eggplant halves with the falafel stuffing.
9. Place back on the cooking sheet and place back on the grill for about 20 minutes (if your grill has a temperature gauge you want it to be about 475 degrees)
10. The filling should start to get a little crispy on the top.
11. While the eggplant is cooking, make your tahini sauce and the tomato relish.
12. Whisk together the ingredients for the tahini sauce in a small bowl.
13. In a separate small bowl mix together the ingredients for your tomato relish.
14. Serve the eggplant halves with the tahini sauce drizzled over the top and then topped with the tomato relish.