Couscous Stuffed Eggplant

I never get tired of eggplant; it's meaty texture and great taste pairs with almost anything. I have a couple dozen eggplant recipes up my sleeve, but this is one of my favorites.

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 cups of couscous
• 2 tablespoons butter
• fresh mint, chopped
• ½ cup feta
• ½ cup parmesan
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups vegetable broth (varies according to package directions)
• balsamic reduction (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 425℉. Cut eggplant in half lengthwise, remove innards of eggplant leaving a centimeter thick amount of flesh in the eggplant. Dice the innards, place in a bowl and set aside.

1. In a small bowl place minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, stir. Using a pastry brush, paint the empty eggplant halves with the olive oil mixture.
   3.Mix the remaining olive oil/garlic mixture into the diced eggplant and stir to coat thoroughly
   4.Place the halved eggplant in one half of 13x9 baking dish with the eggplant innards on the other half and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the dish at 15 minutes.
   5.Meanwhile, while the eggplant is cooking, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Substitute any water in the directions for vegetable broth.
   6.Add parmesan and butter to couscous, stir. Set aside until eggplant has finished baking.
   7.Stir eggplant innards, mint and feta into prepared couscous.
   8.Pile couscous mixture into eggplant, top with feta.
   9.Bake for additional 6 minutes. Serve hot with a drizzle of balsamic reduction on top.