Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (aubergine)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, halved lengthways
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 500 g ground beef or 500 g ground lamb or 500 g ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon moroccan seasoning
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil (to taste)
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (to taste)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 200°c.
• 2 using a small knife and a spoon, carefully remove the flesh from the eggplant halves without breaking the skin, and chop the flesh coarsely.
• 3 place the eggplant halves onto a baking tray, cut side up, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until tender.
• 4 meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, over a medium heat, and sauté the eggplant flesh for 3-5 minutes, until it is golden and tender; remove from the pan and set aside.
• 5 in the same pan, heat the remaining oil over a high heat and sauté the onion and garlic for 1 minute, then add the ground meat and cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is well browned, breaking up the lumps as it browns with the back of a spoon.
• 6 return the eggplant to the pan, add the moroccan seasoning and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, until fragrant. stir in the tomato, pine nuts and sugar and season to taste.
• 7 fill the eggplant halves with the meat mixture and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and parmesan.
• 8 bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and tender.
• 9 serve with the tomato and cucumber salad and fresh crusty bread.
• 10 tomato and cucumber salad: chop the cucumber and toss the cucumber pieces and halved cherry tomatoes with the olive oil and red wine vinegar and season to taste.