Lamb Stuffed Aubergine Food

EGGPLANT STUFFED WITH LAMB AND FETA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Brush the cut surfaces of the eggplant halves with half of the olive oil. Place cut-side-up onto the baking sheet, and place into the oven. Bake the eggplant for 30 minutes until tender. Once done, remove and allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the flesh, leaving the shells 1/2 inch thick. Remove as many of the seeds as you can, then coarsely chop the flesh, and place into a large mixing bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb, and cook for a few minutes until it begins to crumble. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, and black pepper. Cook until the onion has softened, and the lamb is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Place the meat mixture into the bowl with the eggplant, and stir in the marinara sauce, feta cheese, eggs, and bread crumbs until well mixed.
• Evenly divide the lamb mixture into the eggplant shells, then return the eggplant to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then sprinkle with the mozzarella, and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bake until the filling has set, and the mozzarella has turned golden brown, about 25 minutes more.

LAMB-STUFFED AUBERGINES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Place the aubergine halves on a large baking tray or two smaller ones. Drizzle over 2 tbsp of the oil and season the aubergines well. Cover with foil then roast the aubergines for 50 mins until tender.
• Meanwhile, make the lamb stuffing. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb, breaking down the meat with the back of a wooden spoon. Fry for 5-6 mins or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mince has started to brown.
• Add the onion and spices and cook for another 5 mins until the meat is completely brown and has become caramelised and sticky. Add the sultanas, pine nuts and parsley, season to taste, then set aside.
• Carefully scoop most of the flesh out of the aubergines and add it to the lamb, then refill each aubergine with the mixture. Return to the oven for 8-10 mins, until piping hot. Serve with a green salad.

BAKED AUBERGINES STUFFED WITH MINCED LAMB

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan, add the onions, garlic and chillies and cook, stirring often, until fragrant. Add the sugar, currants and pine nuts, and fry until the onions are golden. Stir in the ground spices, season, turn off the heat and leave to cool.
• Tip the lamb into a bowl. Add the cooled onion and spice mixture, then the coriander, and season. Using your hands, knead the ingredients together until they are well mixed, then set aside.
• Cut the aubergines in half, keeping the stalk intact. Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in the heavy-based pan. Fry the aubergines until they are soft and golden brown all over, about 6-8 mins. Remove with a slotted spoon and place them side-by-side in a baking dish. Using a sharp knife, slit each one lengthways down the middle to form a pocket - don't cut through the ends or the base. Stuff the lamb filling into each one and place 2-3 slices tomato on top of each one. You can prepare the stuffed aubergines to this stage and chill before cooking, up to a day ahead.
• Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, cover the dish with foil and bake for about 40 mins, or until cooked through. Remove from oven and discard foil. Cook again, uncovered, for 10 mins until the tomato has lightly caramelised. To serve, sprinkle a little chopped coriander over the top and squeeze over lemon slices.

SPICED LAMB-STUFFED EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, including the stems. Using a sharp paring knife, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving a shell that is 1/3 inch thick and reserving the scooped-out eggplant. Place the eggplant shells snugly in a single layer in a large (10-by-14-inch) rectangular baking dish. Brush the eggplant all over with 1/4 cup olive oil (use it all!) and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour 1/4 cup water in the baking dish, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes, until the shells are tender when pierced with a small knife. Remove from the oven, discard the foil, and leave the oven on.
• Meanwhile, for the lamb filling, in a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until tender. Cut the reserved scooped-out eggplant into 1/2-inch dice (you should have about 2 cups). Add the eggplant to the onion and cook for 5 minutes, adding more oil if it seems dry. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground lamb and cook, mashing lightly with a fork, for 5 to 7 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the oregano and cinnamon and cook for one minute. Add the wine, tomatoes, marinara, parsley, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Spoon the filling into the eggplant halves in the baking dish. (You may have a little extra filling.)
• In a medium bowl, mash the ricotta, goat cheese, egg yolks, mint, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper with a fork. With a spoon, place large dollops of the ricotta mixture on the lamb filling and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the filling is hot and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, sprinkled with extra mint.

STUFFED EGGPLANT WITH LAMB

Steps:

• Peel the eggplants lengthwise in 1/2-inch strips "zebra-style," leaving a 1/2-inch strip of skin between each peel. Trim off long stems so eggplant will fit in pan. Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan. In batches, fry eggplant until golden all over and beginning to soften, turning frequently. Transfer eggplant to a baking dish, placing them side by side, and cut a deep slit lengthwise in each eggplant. Set aside.
• Heat the butter in the skillet, add the onions and saute until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the lamb and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers and salt, and saute until all the juices are absorbed, about 5 more minutes. Stir in the parsley, and lemon juice, adjust seasonings and remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Stuff the eggplants tightly with the ground lamb mixture, enlarging the opening with your hand. Add a little water to the baking dish, cover, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggplants are very tender.

TURKISH STUFFED EGGPLANT WITH SPICY LAMB AND RICE

Steps:

• Lamb and Rice Filling
• Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and pepper, stir, and cook for 3-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and crumble in the ground meat. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and the mixture is starting to dry out and brown a little in the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon out any excess fat from the lamb. Sprinkle in the seasonings, stir, then add the tomatoes and puree, then the stock. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits that have accumulated. Add the rice and herbs, and stir and cook a couple of minutes, until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. When the filling is well mixed, moist, and flavorful-but not wet-remove it from the heat and let it cool.
• Eggplant
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Combine all the ingredients except the eggplants in a small bowl.
• Cut the stem end from each eggplant, then cut it in half lengthwise. Take a look at the flesh, and if it is creamy white and not too seedy, don't worry about salting it. However, if it is a little darker, with numerous seeds, there's a good chance the juices will be slightly bitter, so you'll want to extract them. To do this, sprinkle the cut sides with about a teaspoon of salt each and place them cut side down on a plate or tray lined with a double thickness of paper towels. Place another plate or tray on top and weight that with a couple of pounds (cans of beans work well). Set aside for 10-15 minutes, then remove the weight and brush the salt off the surface, or rinse with running water and pat dry. Cut a shallow crosshatch pattern in the cut surface of the eggplant and brush generously with the flavored oil. Place the eggplant halves cut sides up on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan once, until the eggplants are very soft when you squeeze the sides and the surface is golden brown. Cool completely.
• To Assemble
• With your fingers or a spoon, press the tender eggplant flesh to the sides, making a bed for the filling. Divide the filling among the halves. Sprinkle the bread crumb topping evenly over the filling and pat it lightly. Bake the filled eggplants for about 15 minutes, or until they're heated through and the crumbs are browned.

LAMB STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) OR ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Large eggplants: Remove stems, cut in half lengthwise, remove pulp, sprinkle insides with salt and leave to drain 1/2 hour, then rinse and pat dry.
• Small eggplants or zucchini: Remove stems, cutting lengthwise remove a strip from one side of the vegetable and scoop out pulp to form a boat.
• Thoughly mix stuffing ingredients.
• Stuff vegetables no more than 3/4's full.
• Arrange vegetables in a large saucepan.
• Add oil and enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the vegetable.
• Cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• To bake: Arrange vegetables in an oven proof dish add oil and water as above.
• Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325°F and bake 45 minutes.