Name: Spiced Lamb Stuffed Eggplant
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 5 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Sephardi
Ingredients: 2 large eggplants, halved; 2 tsp kosher salt; ¼ cup Aleppo pepper; 2 Tbsp fennel seeds; 2 Tbsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp ground cardamom; 1 Tbsp caraway seeds; 1 Tbsp coriander seeds; 1 Tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; ½ tsp kosher salt; 1 (15-oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1 lb. ground lamb; ½ onion, grated; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, grated; 2 garlic cloves, finely minced; ¼ cup mixed chopped fresh cilantro and parsley; 2 tsp + a pinch of kosher salt; 1 Tbsp merguez spice blend; 1 Tbsp canola oil; 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped; 1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped; 2 Tbsp tomato paste; ½ cup crushed tomatoes; ¼ cup pine nuts; 1 cup tomato sauce

Ingredients

2 large eggplants, halved
2 tsp kosher salt

For the merguez spice blend:

¼ cup Aleppo pepper
2 Tbsp fennel seeds
2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground cardamom
1 Tbsp caraway seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds

For the tomato sauce:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ tsp kosher salt
1 (15-oz) can crushed tomatoes

For the filling:

1 lb. ground lamb
½ onion, grated
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
¼ cup mixed chopped fresh cilantro and parsley
2 tsp + a pinch of kosher salt
1 Tbsp merguez spice blend
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ cup crushed tomatoes
¼ cup pine nuts
1 cup tomato sauce

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Instructions

Start by making your tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and cook until the onion is translucent, then add the crushed tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, for 10-15 minutes. If you like your sauce extra smooth, let it cool slightly, the puree in a blender or food processor.
For the merguez spice blend, combine the Aleppo pepper, fennel seed, ground cumin, ground cardamom, caraway seeds, and coriander seeds in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. Store in a covered jar.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Score the cut sides of the eggplant and salt well. Arrange cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender. Cool slightly, then scoop the flesh into a bowl and mash. Set the skins aside.
Then make the filling. Mix together the lamb, grated onion and garlic, fresh herbs, 2 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp of the merguez spice blend in a bowl and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the chopped onion and minced garlic and cook until translucent, about 8 more minutes. Add the meat mixture and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to break up the meat. Add the tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Mix well. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the tomatoes have cooked down a bit, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mashed eggplant flesh.
Spoon the filling into the eggplant skins and top with pine nuts. Pour the tomato sauce into a baking dish. Place the stuffed eggplant on top. Bake until heated through and the pine nuts are toasted, about 10 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the eggplant and serve.

Author: Chef Michael Solomonov
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Category: Main
Method: Oven
Cuisine: Sephardi