Mediterranean Stuffed Eggplant - Low Carb and Primal/Paleo

This stuffed eggplant recipe is phenomenal and very versatile. Use the meat "stuffing" to fill mushrooms and bake for delicious party appetizers. It makes 4 servings... but you may just want to eat the entire recipe yourself. This is intentionally a low carb, high fat (LCHF) recipe. If you want to tone down the fat content, feel free to reduce the amounts of cooking fat used, or substitute olive oil. Enjoy!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1/2 stuffed eggplant

Ingredients

• 1  lb  meatloaf mix (ground pork, veal, beef)
• 1  tablespoon  lard
• 1  small onion, chopped
• 1  tablespoon  organic butter
• 1⁄2 pint white mushroom, chopped
• 2  small eggplants, halved and contents scooped out and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup raisins, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  almond meal (or finely chopped almonds)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1  teaspoon garlic powder
• 1  teaspoon onion powder
• 1  pinch cayenne powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup  shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2  tablespoons  grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, cook ground meat in lard until well browned, scraping bottom with a wooden spoon periodically to avoid burning.
3. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute onions in butter, with a little salt, until translucent (about five minutes). Add chopped mushrooms. Cook until mushrooms have softened.
4. Add onion and mushroom mixture to meat in skillet, and stir to combine. Add chopped eggplant to skillet, stir to combine. Add seasonings, raisins and almonds. When eggplant softens, add water to skillet, and deglaze bottom of the pan.
5. Add olive oil to the empty saucepan. Lightly salt eggplant cavities, and place eggplant in the saucepan, cut side down. Cook eggplant this way for about 3-5 minutes. Flip eggplant, exposing cavities. Cook eggplant in a 400 degree oven for another 5 minutes. Remove eggplant from the oven.
6. Add cheeses to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Check for seasonings, and add salt if necessary. Divide meat mixture evenly, and stuff into the 4 eggplant halves.
7. Bake until delicious, golden brown, and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.
8. Serve.