Lamb Stuffed Eggplants

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 small eggplants
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 fat garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 medium red bell pepper
• 1 (398 ml) can tomato sauce
• salt & pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 lb lean ground lamb
• 2 cups fine breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 2 slice eggplants in half lengthwise, cut 1/4 inch border and scoop out inner flesh making an eggplant boat. chop the removed eggplant flesh into small cubes.
• 3 sprinkle inside of scooped-out eggplants with coarse salt and let sit for ten minutes to remove bitterness. after ten minutes, rinse very well, drain, and pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
• 4 place eggplant "boats" on a cookie sheet, drizzle evenly the 3 tbs of olive oil inside of the eggplants. season with salt and pepper. roast for about 10-15 minutes, until they are tender and th flesh is slightly browned.
• 5 while roasting the eggplants, add one tbs olive oil to a sauce pot and begin to sautee the chopped onion.
• 6 as the onion becomes a little bit transparent, add the garlic, let cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
• 7 add the ground lamb and season with salt & pepper, and cumin. let the lamb browm, break into smaller bits.
• 8 add red bellpepper and the removed and cubed eggplant flesh.
• 9 stir to mix all ingredients, place lid over pot for 5 minutes to steam the eggplant chunks, they will release juices into the meat mixture.
• 10 add the can of tomato sauce and reduce to a simmer.
• 11 mix the bread crumbs with 1 tbs of butter. i do this in my food processor as it goes quickly, but it is easy to smoosh together with your fingers.
• 12 fill each eggplant "boat" with the tomato/lamb sauce, top with bread brumbs, and bake the eggplants at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
• 13 i always broil for the last two minutes to make a really crispy bread crumb topping, but be sure to keep an eye on it if you do broil because the bread crumbs will burn fast.
• 14 eat while hot and enjoy!