recipe post!

i wanted to make some stuffed eggplant so i looked at three different recipes and synthesized the following. it came out EXTREMELY good. this recipe makes four Very Large servings and takes 90 minutes, which includes some lengthy pauses to do the dishes and/or set a timer and lie down for a bit.


SPICE BLEND
(this makes a little more than you need, it's just the easiest way to get the proportions right, feel free to use scant measures)

• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1.5 tsp allspice
• 1.5 tsp cinnamon

OTHER INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggplant
• 12 oz ground beef or lamb
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 15 oz cans tomato sauce (or you can add some water to a single can, it comes out fine)
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• ~1 cup chopped parsley (1/2 packed cup is fine, I just love parsley)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts, divided (but you can get away without toasting them)
• plain yogurt

STEPS

1. Heat oven to 425.
2. Trim and halve eggplant, rub some kosher salt into the surfaces and leave for 30 minutes, then pat dry. While eggplant is waiting, prep vegetables (and start on the onions and beef if you want, the stuffing doesn't need to be hot when you stuff).
3. Brush eggplant with olive oil and rub 1/4 tsp spice blend into each half. Roast face up on oiled sheet pan (or parchment paper) for about 40 minutes until very tender and creamy. Reduce oven to 375.
4. While the eggplant is roasting: heat some olive oil, add onion, and cook until soft. Remove to a large bowl.
5. Add more oil, heat it, and add the beef and salt it. Cook about halfway, then add 1.5 TBSP spice blend and garlic, and finish cooking. (I like to always add spices directly to hot oil and let them cook a minute before mixing them in.) Add beef to bowl with onion.
6. Add a little more oil, heat it, and add the chickpeas with 1/2 tsp spice blend and a little salt. Cook for about five minutes and add to bowl.
7. Add tomato, parsley, and 1/2 cup pine nuts to the bowl and mix everything.
8. Put the cooked eggplant halves in an oiled roasting dish as close to "just big enough" as you can get. With a spoon, split each half and push the flesh to the side to make a gap, then stuff generously. If you have extra stuffing you can put it in the roasting pan next to the eggplants.
9. Mix tomato sauce with 1 tsp of spice blend (and water, if using). Pour over eggplant. Cover dish with foil and bake 20-25 minutes.
10. Serve topped with dollops of plain yogurt and remaining pine nuts.