Spiced Lamb Baked in Eggplant

This recipe is another great from Karen Martini. Over the past few months this delicious dish has been a family favourite.

6 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
600g lamb mince
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 Tbsp dried mint
2 handfuls fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
1⁄4 bunch parsley, leaves picked or 2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
4 eggplants
100g parmesan, grated
500ml chicken stock
3 Tbsp tomato paste
400g can chopped tomatoes
40ml extra virgin olive oil
2 fresh bay leaves
Extra parsley, chopped, to serve
Steamed rice, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Mix lamb, grated garlic, cinnamon, chilli, mint, breadcrumbs, egg and parsley in a bowl until well combined. Season well.
3. Halve eggplant lengthways. Using a melon baller, scoop out about 1⁄2 the flesh to leave a cavity. Set aside.
4. Season inside each eggplant half, then spoon equal amounts of lamb mixture into each cavity.Put eggplant in a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 170°C.
5. Combine stock, tomato paste, tomatoes, eggplant balls and oil. Pour mixture around eggplant, but don’t cover entirely. Add bay leaves. Cover dish with a sheet of baking paper, then with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
6. To serve, top each half with a little cheese. sprinkle parsley over eggplant halves and spoon over any sauce. Serve with rice.
   Tips:
   When choosing eggplant, look for firm, shiny, brightly coloured fruits that feel solid and heavy for their size. The fruit is fresh if the stalk is stout, firm and green.