Lamb Stuffed Baby Eggplants Recipes

STUFFED BABY EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife, cut a wedge out of each eggplant, from stem to base, just large enough to stick a spoon inside and scoop out the flesh inside. Discard the flesh you scoop out.
• Coat a large saute pan with the oil and place over medium flame. Lightly fry the eggplants on all sides, until slightly charred and blistered; remove to a platter and set aside.
• Return the pan to the heat and add the shallots and garlic, saute for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Add the ground lamb to the pan and brown the meat well, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, combine well, and let simmer for 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Toss in a couple of handfuls of the parsley, the mint, and lemon juice; continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the stuffing cool slightly. Using a spoon, stuff the lamb filling into the eggplants until they feel full, but not overly packed.
• Arrange the eggplants in a single layer in a large saucepan, pour the chicken stock over them and lay the lemon slices on top of each eggplant, drizzle with some more olive oil. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

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

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant, chop, and reserve. Season shells with salt and pepper, and coat with some olive oil; set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Saute sausage and garlic until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in the reserved chopped eggplant. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Pour in wine, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. If mixture is dry, stir in more olive oil. Stuff mixture into eggplant shells, and sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

DATE-STUFFED BABY EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Make the bell pepper and eggplant relish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush eggplant all over with 2 tablespoons oil and season with a pinch of salt. Place cut-sides down on one half of a rimmed baking sheet. Place garlic cloves and onion in the center of a 12-inch piece of parchment-lined foil. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and black pepper. Toss to combine. Wrap to enclose and place on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake until eggplant is very tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Add cooled eggplant and roasted garlic and onion mixture, along with 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining ingredients, to a food processor; process until smooth.
• Make the stuffed eggplants: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, toss eggplants with 1/4 cup oil, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing every 5 minutes, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet over medium. Add scallions and garlic and cook until softened. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, place rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Swirl water to rinse rice and drain. Repeat process 3 to 4 more times until water is clear. Cover rice with clean water and soak for 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a medium bowl, combine cooled scallion and garlic mixture, freekeh, date paste, tomato paste, spices, parsley, and mint. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Stir in lamb.
• Once eggplants are cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to cut a slit in each eggplant from top to bottom, taking care not to cut all the way through. Carefully open each eggplant and fill with about 1 tablespoon lamb mixture.
• Place stuffed eggplants in a baking dish large enough to hold eggplants in a single layer and bake until filling is thoroughly cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine drained rice, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until rice is just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain rice in a colander.
• Whisk together tahini and lemon juice until smooth in a small bowl. Thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons water, if necessary, and season with salt.
• Transfer rice to a serving platter and top with eggplants. Serve with tahini sauce and bell pepper and eggplant relish.

EGGPLANTS STUFFED WITH LAMB, RICE, AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in an ovenproof pot over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring often, until soft and lightly caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes. Add lamb, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until lamb is cooked through and no longer pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add stock, rice, and currants. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and transfer to oven on lowest rack. Cook for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, slice eggplants in half lengthwise; brush each cut side with 1/4 teaspoon oil. Roast, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet on top oven rack until centers are soft and tops are browned, about 40 minutes. Let cool.
• Gently scrape eggplant flesh into a large bowl, reserving skins. Stir in lamb-rice mixture, chopped herbs, and lemon zest. Divide stuffing among eggplant skins. Garnish with more herbs and lemon zest.

LEBANESE STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Hollow out each eggplant with a melon-ball cutter, working from bottom end and leaving about 1/3 inch eggplant flesh along interior walls.
• Rinse rice in a sieve under cold water until water runs clear. Drain well.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry pine nuts, stirring frequently, until golden, about 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Sauté onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup onion mixture to bowl with pine nuts. Add stock, tomatoes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to skillet and simmer, uncovered, while stuffing eggplant.
• Add rice, meat, allspice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl with onion mixture and mix well with your hands.
• Stuff eggplant with meat mixture, being careful not to pack tightly (rice will expand during cooking). Transfer stuffed eggplants to skillet with tomato sauce and simmer, covered, carefully turning once, until rice is cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour (cut 1 in half to test).
• If sauce is watery, transfer eggplant to a plate and boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning if necessary. Return stuffed eggplant to sauce. Squeeze lemon over dish and sprinkle with parsley before serving.

LAMB-STUFFED BABY EGGPLANTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a grapefruit spoon, gently scoop out pulp from eggplant halves, leaving 1/2" thick shells. Roughly chop the scooped-out pulp and set aside. Sprinkle inside surfaces of eggplant shells with salt, and place face down on a paper towel to drain for 15-30 minutes. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper, and continue sauteeing until onion is golden and peppers are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the ground lamb and chopped eggplant, and cook until lamb is browned and eggplant is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cinnamon and red pepper flakes, stirring until just warmed through. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper, then stir in the tomatoes, pine nuts and fresh mint. Pat the shells dry with paper towels, removing any excess salt remaining on the surface. Brush with remaining 1 tbsp oil and arrange in a baking dish, cut side up. Divide the lamb mixture among the eggplant shells, mounding the filling slightly, the top with crumbled feta cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the eggplant shells are tender and filling is bubbling and golden.