Sheikh Al Mihshi (Stuffed Eggplant (Aubergine) )

A meat dish from the Lebanon, syria and Jordan area.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 12  small Japanese eggplants or 6  medium  oval eggplants
• 1⁄4 cup  samneh  clarified butter or 1⁄4 cup  oil

• Meat filling

• 500  g  finely ground lamb or 500  g ground beef
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 1  large onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄4 cup parsley, finely chopped
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper

• To finish

• 1  cup tomato puree
•  salt and pepper
•  water (optional)

Directions

1. Remove stalks from the eggplants and remove peel in 1 cm intervals to give a striped effect.
2. Heat oil in a pan and brown the eggplants lightly on all sides.
3. Remove to a plate.
4. Add the mince, oil, onion and garlic to the frypan and fry, continuously stirring, until the juices evaporate.
5. Add the pinenuts, spices, parsley and salt and pepper.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Cut a deep slit along one side of the eggplant and fill with meat mixture.
8. Arrange in a baking dish and pour tomato puree on top.
9. Season with salt and pepper and bake in a moderately hot oven for 30 minutes, adding water to dish during cooking if necessary and basting the eggplants occasionally.