This has got to be by far the best minced or ground lamb recipe that I make. If you like aubergines, you will love them. It’s mildly spiced for younger palettes yet complex with crushed cumin seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg and roasted aubergine. It’s blended into a ragu style stuffing for the aubergine cases and topped with manchego cheese.
I saw it a while back, made a part of ‘Spanish Christmas’ presented by Rick Stein and have been making variations since. It breaks away from the three books I’ve been working from but is an easy crowd-pleaser.
Stuffed Aubergine: A Favourite Family Recipe
My stuffed aubergine is a delicious alternative to the traditional beef filling, making it a sought-after dish in my family. It was also so easy to make, perfect for weeknight dinners. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family did!
Stuffed Aubergine
Print RecipeIngredients
- 500 grams of organic minced/ground lamb
- 4 aubergines
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- roasted tomato sauce using 6 tomatoes or 1 x 400g can of tomatoes
- 5 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 red pepper or a few piquillo peppers from a jar, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds crushed in pestle & mortar
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes
- grated manchego cheese for topping
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the whole aubergines lengthways through the middle, including the stalk. Cut into the flesh right down to the skin but without piercing it in a crisscross pattern.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and some olive oil and roast in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. When cooked, the flesh should be soft and easy to scoop out, and skins should be intact.
- For the ragu, heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the onions, peppers, and spices over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Then add the lamb and fry for another 4-5 minutes before adding the tomato sauce. Add a little fresh chicken stock and simmer for 20- 30 minutes.
- For the fresh tomato sauce, cut the tomatoes in half and sprinkle sea salt, pepper and olive oil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes until mushy. You should be able to blend this with a fork. Alternatively, use one can of tomatoes. I added a little extra chicken stock to avoid getting too dry, as I prefer to simmer for longer.
- Once the aubergines are ready, carefully scoop out the flesh leaving a little flesh still on the skin all around and add to the ragu. Stir through and then spoon the ragu back into the aubergine skins.
- Top with cheese and bake for 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and a little brown.