Lamb
Baked aubergine with spiced lamb, mint and pomegranate
Aubergines are great vessels for stuffing. We've given the lamb a Middle Eastern style spicing and have served it sprinkled with almonds, mint and pomegranate, though you can leave out the pomegranate if you can't find any. Good with couscous, a leafy side salad or wilted spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine
- for frying and roasting, sunflower oil or light olive oil
- 25g flaked almonds
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
- 300g minced lamb
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp dried mint
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
- 4 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped
- 1 pomegranate
- handful of mint leaves, shredded
- salt and black pepper
Method
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Step 1
Heat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Cut the aubergine in half lengthways. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern. Drizzle liberally with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place skin-side up in a baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until the flesh is soft and tender right the way through.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, put the almonds in a dry frying pan. Heat gently, stirring, until golden. Remove to a plate and keep to one side. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry on a low heat, stirring, for 10 minutes. Add the lamb and fry, stirring, on a medium heat to brown.
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Step 3
Add the garlic, cumin coriander, dried mint, smoked paprika and chilli flakes and stir for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes. Season and simmer for 30 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed to stop the meat drying out. Cut the pomegranate in half crossways. Take a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden spoon.
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Step 4
Hold the pomegranate cut-side down in your hand over a bowl and bash the skin; the seeds will fall out (most of them anyway). Pick out any pith that does fall in; there shouldn't be much with this technique, but it tastes bitter, so remove any you find.
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Step 5
Once the aubergine flesh is tender, remove it from the oven. Carefully scoop out as much of the flesh as you can, keeping the aubergine skins intact. Add the flesh to the lamb. Stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Check the seasoning. Spoon the lamb mixture into the aubergine skins. Sprinkle over the almonds, pomegranate seeds and mint to serve.