Stuffed aubergine with lamb and pine nuts

By Yotam Ottolenghi
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

Stuffed Aubergine with Lamb and Pine Nuts

• Aubergines: 4 medium (about 1.2kg/2lb 7oz), halved lengthways
• Olive oil: 6 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1½ tsp
• Sweet paprika: 1½ tbsp
• Ground cinnamon: 1 tbsp
• Onions: 2 medium (340g/12oz in total), finely chopped
• Lamb mince: 500g/1lb 2oz
• Pine nuts: 50g/1¾oz
• Flatleaf parsley: 20g/¾oz, chopped
• Tomato purée: 2 tsp
• Caster sugar: 3 tsp
• Cold water: 150ml/¼ pint
• Lemon juice: 1½ tbsp
• Tamarind paste: 1 tsp
• Cinnamon sticks: 4
• Salt and black pepper: to taste
• Sourdough bread: 1 loaf, to serve (optional)

Tahini Dressing

• Natural yoghurt: 125g/4½oz
• Tahini: 50g/1¾oz
• Garlic clove: 1, finely chopped
• Lemon juice: 2 tsp
• Coriander: 1 small bunch, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper: to taste

Method

Preparing the Aubergines

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C Fan/Gas 7).
2. Prepare the Aubergines:
   • Place the aubergine halves, skin-side down, in a snug roasting tin.
   • Brush the flesh of the aubergines with 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
   • Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
3. Roast the Aubergines: Roast in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden-brown. Once done, remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly.

Making the Stuffing

4. Heat the Oil: While the aubergines are roasting, heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
5. Cook the Onions and Spices:
   • In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, paprika, and ground cinnamon.
   • Add half of this spice mix to the frying pan along with the chopped onions.
   • Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft.
6. Add the Lamb and Other Ingredients:
   • Add the lamb mince, pine nuts, chopped parsley, tomato purée, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper to the pan.
   • Continue to cook and stir for another 8 minutes, or until the lamb is fully cooked.
7. Prepare the Spice Mix:
   • In a bowl, combine the remaining spice mix with 150ml (¼ pint) of water, lemon juice, tamarind paste, the remaining sugar, and the cinnamon sticks.

Assembling and Baking

8. Reduce Oven Temperature: Lower the oven temperature to 195°C (175°C Fan/Gas 5½).
9. Combine and Bake:
   • Pour the prepared spice mix into the bottom of the aubergine roasting tin.
   • Spoon the lamb mixture generously on top of each aubergine half.
   • Cover the tin tightly with kitchen foil and return it to the oven.
   • Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the aubergines are completely soft and the sauce has thickened.
10. Baste the Aubergines: During cooking, remove the kitchen foil twice to baste the aubergines with the sauce, adding a little water if the sauce dries out.

Preparing the Tahini Dressing

11. Make the Dressing: In a bowl, mix together the tahini dressing ingredients: natural yoghurt, tahini, finely chopped garlic, lemon juice, chopped coriander, 2 tablespoons of water, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a crack of black pepper.

Serving

12. Serve: Once the aubergines are done, drizzle the tahini dressing over the warm (not hot or room temperature) aubergines.
    • Finish by sprinkling with additional coriander.
    • Serve alongside slices of sourdough bread.