Tahini Lamb Eggplant Boats 🍆🇱🇧

Description

Tender roasted eggplants filled with spiced lamb, finished with a creamy tahini lemon drizzle and fresh herbs for a true Middle Eastern comfort plate 🍆

Hook

High impact, restaurant style, and surprisingly simple, these eggplant boats are rich, bright, and absolutely unforgettable ✨

Ingredients

• Eggplant
• 🍆 1.2 kg eggplants, 4 medium (about 2.6 lb)
• 🫒 45 ml olive oil (3 tbsp / 1½ fl oz)
• 🧂 6 g fine sea salt (1 tsp / 0.21 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• Lamb filling
• 🥩 500 g ground lamb (1.1 lb / 17.6 oz)
• 🧅 200 g yellow onion, finely diced (1 large / 7 oz)
• 🧄 10 g garlic, minced (3 cloves / 0.35 oz)
• 🍅 25 g tomato paste (1½ tbsp / 0.9 oz)
• 🍅 200 g canned crushed tomatoes (¾ cup / 7 oz)
• 🌿 6 g ground cumin (2 tsp / 0.21 oz)
• 🌿 4 g ground coriander (1½ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🌶️ 2 g smoked paprika (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌿 1 g ground cinnamon (¼ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🧂 6 g fine sea salt (1 tsp / 0.21 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌰 40 g pine nuts, toasted (¼ cup / 1.4 oz)
• Tahini drizzle
• 🥄 90 ml tahini, well stirred (⅜ cup / 3 fl oz)
• 🍋 30 ml fresh lemon juice (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 💧 60–90 ml cold water, as needed (¼–⅜ cup / 2–3 fl oz)
• 🧄 4 g garlic, finely grated (1 clove / 0.14 oz)
• 🧂 2 g fine sea salt (⅓ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• Finish
• 🌿 10 g parsley, chopped (⅓ cup / 0.35 oz)
• 🌿 5 g mint, chopped (2 tbsp / 0.18 oz)
• 🌺 4 g ground sumac (1 tsp / 0.14 oz), optional

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Roast the eggplants
2. Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F). Line a large sheet pan, 30×40 cm (12×16 in), with baking paper. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a crosshatch without cutting through the skin. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast cut side up for 28 minutes, until very tender.
3. 2️⃣ Cook the lamb filling
4. While eggplants roast, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add lamb and cook 6 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
5. 3️⃣ Build the sauce
6. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Simmer 6 minutes until thick and spoonable. Stir in toasted pine nuts.
7. 4️⃣ Make the tahini drizzle
8. Whisk tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt. It will tighten up. Whisk in cold water 1 tbsp at a time until silky and drizzleable.
9. 5️⃣ Fill the boats
10. Remove eggplants from the oven. Using a spoon, gently press the centers to create a well, keeping the edges intact. Spoon the lamb mixture into each eggplant half.
11. 6️⃣ Bake to finish
12. Return to the oven at 220°C (428°F) for 10 minutes to heat through and lightly caramelize the top.
13. 7️⃣ Plate and garnish
14. Drizzle tahini over the hot eggplants. Finish with parsley, mint, and optional sumac. Serve immediately.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 44 min
🛋️ Rest: 5 min
⏰ Total: 69 min

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