Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts

November has just flown by, and it's been a busy month. The need to cook wonderful things doesn't go away during busy times, but trying to carve out time to write posts is difficult when lovely holiday distractions are all around you.

There had been a package of ground lamb staring me in the face whenever I opened the freezer, and the closer to Thanksgiving it got, the greater the need to make some room for turkey carcass and leftovers. So, it was ground lamb's turn.

I love all things Mediterranean, Moroccan and Middle Eastern in cuisine. The spice blend in this stuffed dish tends Moroccan, and although a stuffed veggie dish, there's plenty of met to sink your teeth into.

Mangia!

Stuffed Eggplant with Lamb and Pine Nuts
Courtesy: Serious Eats

Ingredients:

4 medium eggplants, halved lengthwise

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 pound ground lamb

7 tablespoons pine nuts

⅔ ounces chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons tomato paste

3 teaspoons superfine sugar

⅔ cup water

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

4 cinnamon sticks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place eggplant halves, skin side down, in a large roasting pan that allows them to fit snugly. Brush flesh with 4 tablespoons olive oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and some black pepper. Roast 20 minutes, until golden, and remove from oven to cool.

While eggplant cooks, heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Mix together cumin, paprika, and ground cinnamon. Add half of spice mix to pan, along with onions. Cook over medium-high heat about 8 minutes, stirring often. Then, add lamb, pine nuts, parsley, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and some black pepper. Continue cooking, stirring, for another 8 minutes, until meat is fully cooked.

Place remaining spice mix in a bowl, and add water, lemon juice, tamarind, and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar, cinnamon sticks, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix to combine.

Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour spice mix into bottom of eggplant pan. Spoon lamb mixture onto each eggplant half. Cover pan tightly with foil, and return to oven. Roast 1½ hours, removing foil to baste with sauce twice during the process, until eggplant is completely soft and sauce is thick. You may need to add a bit of water as the eggplant cooks. Serve warm, or room temperature.