Here's what the Italian-Australians taught me, A.: you cut the eggplant in half longways, and carefully carefully scoop them out, making a sort of 'canoe.' Then you mince the contents with meat and herbs. Then you cook that mix. Then you spoon the mix into the canoes, and put them in the oven, and cook the daylights out of them till the canoe and filling are almost toasted crisp