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Video recipe

About this recipe

✨

Recipe highlight

Why you’ll love it

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) nuts
• Tahini drizzle sesame
• 🥄 90 ml tahini, well stirred (⅜ cup / 3 fl oz) sesame
• 🍋 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 Roast the eggplants 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.
• 2 Cook the lamb filling 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.
• 3 Build the sauce 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.
• 4 Make the tahini drizzle 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.
• 5 Fill the boats 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.
• 6 Bake to finish Return to the oven at 220°C (428°F) for 10 minutes to heat through and lightly caramelize the top.
• 7 Plate and garnish Drizzle tahini over the hot eggplants. Finish with parsley, mint, and optional sumac. Serve immediately.

Timing details

Nutrition

Estimated values per serving.

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