Stuffed Eggplant (Eggplant Sopa)

This recipe comes from my parents experimenting with different recipes when they were my age. I like it because it's basically a big vegetable, it tastes really good, and its a crowd pleaser (right amber?). I made this for 2, but you can expand to make it for more.













Ingredients:
3 big eggplants
1/3 pack of bacon with as much fat cut off as possible, cut into pieces (or ham if you prefer)
1/2 onion minced
swiss cheese
salt/pepper to taste
Directions:
Eggplant volume reduces once cooked, so for 2 people, I needed 3 eggplants. Always get 1 or 2 more eggplants than you need.
1. Sautee bacon and onions together. Don't add any oil or butter. The bacon has enough of that.
2. cut eggplants lengthwise so one side is bigger than the other













3. cut criss crossed squares into the big half to be able to easily scoop out eggplants in square chunks . If it gets a little brown, its ok. It just oxidizing.













4. scoop out all the eggplant (from the smaller halves too) and throw into the pan (but keep the eggplant shells)
5. cook on medium heat until tender (15 minutes?). It cooks faster if you cover, but make sure you stir so it doesn't burn. Salt/pepper to taste. If you use bacon, you don't really need salt. During this step, preheat your oven to 400 F.
6. Scoop your "sopa" back into your eggplant shells, sprinkle swiss on top, and put in the oven for around 15 minutes or until your cheese starts bubbling.