Roasted Eggplant And Lamb Food

MAMA'S OH-SO-SAVORY LAMB AND EGGPLANT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place eggplant in a colander set in a bowl or the sink; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Let eggplant stand for at least 1 hour. Rinse off the bitter liquid and excess salt and drain well.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and celery; cook and stir until onion has softened and turned translucent and celery is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• While vegetables are cooking, combine ground cumin, oregano, rosemary, paprika, mint, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or mortar and pestle and mix well; this is the lamb seasoning (see Cook's Note). Set seasoning aside.
• Stir eggplant cubes and garlic into the vegetables in the skillet, mixing well, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle with half of the lamb seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining seasoning. Stir gently and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Pour chicken broth and half the can of tomato sauce into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes; add a little water if the sauce starts to get dry. Transfer the sauce to the prepared casserole dish.
• Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and heat the reserved tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Place ground lamb into skillet and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mixture. Brown lamb in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until the meat is evenly browned; it should look like imperfect meatballs.
• Gently transfer the lamb to the casserole dish, pushing it down into the vegetable mixture so that it is at least partially submerged. Stir fresh lemon juice into the remaining tomato sauce and pour the sauce over the casserole.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending upon how tender you like your vegetables.

COLD ROAST LAMB WITH MARINATED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Pulse garlic, rosemary, cumin seeds, and 2 Tbsp. kosher salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Pour in 1/4 cup oil and pulse again until a paste forms. Place lamb on a rimmed baking sheet and rub paste all over, pushing some inside layers of meat. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 300°F. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise, then slice each half lengthwise into thirds. Working in batches and using 1/2 cup oil total, place a few eggplant spears in a large bowl and drizzle with some oil. Toss, gently massaging each piece to coat; season with kosher salt and pepper. (Because eggplants are very porous when raw, working with a few pieces at a time makes it easier to control where the oil ends up.) Transfer to another rimmed baking sheet.
• Toss shallots and 1/4 cup oil in the bowl you just used for the eggplants, then spoon over eggplants. Cover baking sheet with foil, sealing tightly.
• Place baking sheet with eggplant mixture on bottom rack of oven and baking sheet with lamb on top rack. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of lamb (avoiding gaps) registers 140°F for medium, about 90 minutes (start checking after 1 hour). Remove lamb from oven and tent with foil. Let cool about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove eggplant mixture from oven, uncover, and toss with a spatula. Increase oven temperature to 500°F and immediately place eggplant mixture on top rack. Roast, tossing halfway through, until nicely browned and very tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
• Remove foil from lamb and roast on top rack until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Let cool.
• Once eggplant mixture is cool, toss in a large bowl with Master Vegetable Marinade, cover, and let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour.
• Just before serving, toss parsley into eggplant mixture and transfer to a platter. Slice lamb 1/4" thick; arrange on another platter. Drizzle lamb generously with oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve with Lemony Yogurt Sauce and/or Grilled Serrano Salsa Verde alongside.
• Lamb can be seasoned 12 hours ahead; cover and chill. Let sit at room temperature 45 minutes before roasting. Lamb can be roasted and eggplant mixture can be marinated 1 day ahead; cover and chill separately. About 1 hour before serving, remove lamb and eggplant mixture from the fridge and let sit at room temperature to warm up a bit.

ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH GARLIC AND HERBS

Steps:

• Put the eggplant pieces in a large colander and sprinkle all over with the 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Set in the sink to drain for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Put a baking sheet in the oven to heat for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the shallot and garlic, and push to the side of the cutting board. Chop the parsley, then draw the shallots and garlic in with the herbs and chop them together, until finely chopped. Stir the aromatics and walnut oil together in a serving bowl.
• Toss the purged eggplant with the olive oil and pepper. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven and brush or drizzle with olive oil. Spread the eggplant out on the pan and return to the oven. Roast until the eggplant is tender yet firm and rich brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, toss with garlic and herbs. Serve right away or at room temperature.

LAMB CHOPS WITH ROASTED-EGGPLANT RELISH

Steps:

• Pat lamb chops dry and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then sear lamb, turning over once, until browned, about 5 minutes total for medium.
• Meanwhile, toss together eggplant, pimientos, onion, parsley, sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve eggplant relish over lamb.

EGGPLANT AND LAMB STEW

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, and brown the lamb on all sides. Mix in the eggplants, tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender and lightly browned.
• In a small bowl, blend the tomato paste and water. Mix into the pot with the lamb. Season lamb with allspice, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Add a little water as necessary to keep the ingredients moist.

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.

BONELESS ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH FETA CHEESE, OLIVES, AND BABY EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay the butterflied leg of lamb flat on a work surface, fat side down. Combine the bread crumbs, currants, pine nuts, parsley, garlic, feta cheese, olives, rosemary, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and blend well to make a coarse stuffing for the lamb. Spread the stuffing evenly along the center of the inside of the leg of lamb. Fold the lamb towards the center, one side and then the other, to enclose the stuffing and form a roll. Pin the roll closed with toothpicks or skewers, or tie the roll in several places with butcher's twine so that it does not open during cooking.
• Season the outside of the lamb with salt and pepper and place, seam-side-down, in a roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes, then add the baby eggplants to the roasting pan with the lamb. Continue roasting the lamb and eggplant for another 35 to 40 minutes for medium rare.
• Remove the lamb and eggplants from the oven and allow the roast to cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve 2 to 3 slices of lamb per person and 1 or 2 roasted eggplants. The eggplant should be left whole during roasting, then split down the middle to serve. They should be eaten by scooping out the creamy eggplant interior, leaving the shells behind.

PAN ROASTED LAMB LOIN WITH SWEET AND SOUR RELISH AND (SMOKY OR GRILLED) EGGPLANT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the grill over medium-high heat and the oven to 275 degrees F.
• For the eggplant puree: Place the Japanese eggplant slices into a perforated hotel pan over a solid hotel pan or on a rack set over a sheet pan and season with salt. Season the Italian eggplant flesh with salt and place into the hotel pan or on the rack with the Japanese eggplant slices, let sit about 5 minutes.
• Place the eggplant into a bowl and add a drizzle of the extra-virgin olive oil, rosemary leaves, and thyme leaves. Place the whole eggplant onto the hottest part of the grill, flesh-side down. Cover with metal bowl and cook, about 5 to 6 minutes. Place the Japanese eggplant slices onto the cooler part of the grill and cook for about 2 to 4 minutes per side. Both the Japanese and Italian eggplants should be done at the same time.
• Remove the charred flesh of the Italian eggplant and discard the skins. Add the flesh and seeds to a blender. Drizzle in about 1/2-cup extra-virgin olive oil, juice of 1 orange, and salt, to taste. Taste and re-season, if needed.
• For the lamb: Season the lamb loins with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper on both sides. Place a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once heated, add the lamb to the pan and sear until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and continue to sear on the other side, another minute. Add the butter, remaining rosemary sprig and thyme sprig and allow the butter to melt. Baste the lamb with the melted butter and place into the oven. Roast the lamb for about 10 minutes, or until the lamb is medium-rare to medium, about 125 to 130 degrees F.
• When the lamb is done, remove the lamb from the oven and set aside briefly to rest prior to slicing. (2 servings)
• For the sweet and sour relish: To a small saucepan over medium heat add 2 cups white wine and 1 cup golden raisins.
• To a high-sided saute pan over medium heat, add 2 to 3 tablespoons blended oil. Once heated, add the shallots and season with salt, to taste. Next, add the garlic and stir to combine. Once fragrant, add the diced eggplant and season again with salt. Add the pine nuts, capers, the juice of 2 oranges, and about 1/2 cup sherry vinegar. Once the flames stops, add the raisins and wine and stir to combine. To a small saute pan, add about 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and place over low heat to toast. Once toasted add the cumin seeds and about 2 tablespoons sugar. Allow the eggplant to cook down and simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes.
• For plating: To a medium bowl add the arugula, sliced chile and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Toss to combine.
• For each serving, spoon some of the smoky eggplant puree onto a plate. Slice half the tenderloin into 1/2-inch rounds and plate in between the grilled Japanese slices. Top with some of the sweet and sour eggplant relish and the micro arugula salad. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

BUTTERFLIED LEG OF LAMB WITH FIRE ROASTED EGGPLANT AND GRILLED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Wash the leg of lamb and pat dry. Place in a hotel or lasagna pan.
• In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the salt. Stir until well blended. Pour over the lamb and turn a few times to make sure that the meat is well coated by the marinade. Refrigerate the marinated leg of lamb at least 2 hours, making sure you turn the meat at least once.
• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Season the meat with salt. Transfer to the hot grill and cook for 15 minutes on one side. Turn and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Move the meat to a colder spot on the grill and cover. Continue to cook to desired doneness; check after meat has cooked for a total of 45 minutes and then again after 1 hour. Time will depend on the thickness of the meat.
• Allow meat to cool for 15 minutes before carving to keep as much of the meat juice. Slice on a bias and serve with fire roasted eggplant and grilled tomatoes.
• Preheat the grill to medium.
• Place the eggplant on the grill for about 30 minutes, turning often. Remove and cool completely.
• Once cool, scrape out the pulp and discard the skins. Reserve.
• Rub the halved tomatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place onto the side of the grill and roast until soft.
• In a large saute pan, over the hot part of the grill, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, cumin, tomato concasse, sesame seeds, and oregano. Cook until onion is soft. Remove from heat and adjust consistency with water. Add the parsley and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

LAMB-AND-EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Pierce eggplant with a fork; place on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until tender. Let cool; peel and finely chop.
• Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
• Combine eggplant, onion mixture, cheese, and next 9 ingredients (cheese through egg whites) in a large bowl; stir well. Crumble lamb over eggplant mixture, and stir just until ingredients are blended.
• Pack meat mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until meat loaf registers 160°. Let meat loaf stand in pan 10 minutes.
• Remove meat loaf from pan; cut loaf into 12 slices.
• Sandwich suggestion: Serve leftover meat loaf slices in pita bread halves with cucumber slices and plain low-fat yogurt.
• Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 slices).

LEG OF ROASTED LAMB ON POTATO, EGGPLANT, AND TOMATO TIAN

Steps:

• Toss half of tomato slices with onions, eggplant, garlic, oregano, potatoes, salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Transfer to an oiled shallow 3-quart casserole, spreading evenly. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top. Roast, uncovered, in middle of oven 30 minutes.
• Prepare lamb:
• Trim lamb of all but a 1/4-inch layer of fat. Cut small slits all over lamb with a sharp small knife and put a slice of garlic into each slit. Rub lamb with some lemon juice and season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• After tian has been roasting 30 minutes, put lamb on top of vegetables. Roast in middle of oven 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F.
• Continue roasting, basting meat with cooking juices (baste with remaining lemon juice during last 30 minutes of roasting) until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat (do not touch bone) registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer meat to a cutting board, cover tian with foil, and let meat stand 15 minutes before carving. Spoon off any excess fat from tian and discard. Serve tian with lamb.

TIMBALE OF EGGPLANT AND GROUND LAMB

Steps:

• Trim the ends from the eggplant, and peel it--here's the tricky part--in five, long peels, using a large knife--the easiest way is to stand the eggplant on end, mark the other end in fifths and saw off the skin, allowing some pulp to be attached.
• Cube the remaining eggplant and grill or roast it lightly (this instead of saute-ing which uses much more oil).
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and then saute the eggplant peels, skin side UP, by covering the pan and cooking over moderate heat about five minutes, or until the pulp is lightly browned.
• Remove the slices and allow them to cool slightly.
• Arrange them in a one and a half quart round baking dish star fashion, with the narrow end in the center of the bowl and the wide end hanging over the top edge; the five pieces of peel should be equidistant from each other and should overlap in the bottom.
• Set aside.
• In the warm skillet, saute the onion and garlic until lightly browned, then add the grilled or roasted eggplant and combine with the 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and the allspice and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper, mix well, remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix the ground lamb with the paprika and tomato paste and, if you like some salt and pepper.
• Wet your hands, and, little by little, press the lamb onto the bowl, on top of the peels and without disturbing the pattern formed by the peels; the inside of the bowl should be completely covered with the lamb mixture, though it need not come all the way to the rim of the bowl.
• Spoon the reserved eggplant/onion mixture into the meat -lined bowl and fold the ends of the eggplant peel over the top.
• Cover the bowl closely with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the bowl rest for 15 minutes before removing the foil.
• Invert carefully onto a platter and serve, surrounded by rice or orzo and accompanied by a tomato sauce.

MAUREEN ABOOD'S EGGPLANT WITH LAMB, TOMATO AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat broiler and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
• Brush both sides of eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Arrange slices on prepared baking sheet and broil in batches until they are deep mahogany brown, turning once halfway through, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
• Adjust the oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned in the center.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, but not browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground lamb or beef, stirring frequently and breaking up meat into very small pieces with the side of a metal spoon. Season with remaining teaspoon salt, cinnamon and pepper. Sauté until meat is just cooked through. Taste and add more salt or pepper, or both, as needed.
• In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir nuts to coat them with butter and continue stirring constantly until nuts are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Keep a close watch over the nuts; they can burn quickly once they begin to brown. Transfer nuts to a bowl while still warm and salt them lightly.
• Coat a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish. Lay 1/3 of the eggplant slices in a single layer over the sauce, covering as much surface area of the bottom of the dish as possible. Spoon half the meat evenly over eggplant. Pour 1/3 of the remaining tomato sauce evenly over meat. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the pine nuts. Layer again with eggplant, meat, tomato sauce and pine nuts. Finish with a layer of eggplant and cover with more tomato sauce, sprinkling top with pine nuts.
• Pour 1 cup warm water around the perimeter of the baking dish. (Sauce will thicken as it bakes.) Cover pan with foil and bake for 90 minutes. Remove foil and top eggplant evenly with mozzarella. Bake for 15 minutes longer, uncovered, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve eggplant warm, over rice.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) AND LAMB LASAGNA

Steps:

• (I also have the recipe for the bechamel sauce).
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Wash the eggplants and cut in half lengthwise.
• Coat generously with olive oil.
• Place in a roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minute.
• Peel the garlic and onion.
• Place in the bowl of a food processor along with the pieces of cooked lamb and the cumin.
• Process until finely chopped.
• When eggplants are cooked, scoop out the flesh and crush with a fork.
• In a pan combine th eggplant flesh, tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add cilantro leaves.
• Simmer until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Lightly oil a baking dish. Pour some of the bechamel sauce into the bottom of the dish, then build up alternate layers of lasagna noodles, lamb, and onion mixture, Bechamel Sauce, and the eggplant and tomato sauce.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minute.