Spiced eggplant with lamb and pine nut stuffing
This is a delicious dish of slow-roasted eggplants smothered in a Moroccan paste and topped with a seriously savoury lamb finished with Greek yoghurt and coriander. It’s a spectacular Middle Eastern meal that will have your taste buds dancing with delight
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
Eggplants:
- 2 large eggplants, halved lengthways
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp Moroccan seasoning
- Salt and pepper
Lamb:
- 500g lamb mince
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 large tomato, finely diced
- 50g pine nuts
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley
- Salt and pepper
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C bake. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Eggplants: Score the flesh of each half with deep, diagonal crisscross cuts, making sure not to pierce the skin.
3. In a bowl, mix the garlic, oil, and Moroccan seasoning with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spread this mixture evenly over each scored eggplant half.
4. Place the eggplant halves on the lined tray, paste side up.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the eggplants are completely soft.
6. Lamb: While the eggplants cook, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on a low-medium heat.
7. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to soften.
8. Increase the heat to medium, add the cumin, paprika and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute.
9. Add the lamb mince, pine nuts and diced tomato.
10. Break the mince up and stir for 8-10 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.
11. Keep warm until the eggplants are ready to go.