Lebanese Eggplant Boats, one other Sheik al Mehsheh

Lebanese eggplant boats are the normal strategy to make Sheik al mehsheh, a meal “match for a king”! Serve the eggplant over a mattress of cinnamon-scented rice with a crisp, lemony romaine salad on the facet. This dish is well made forward by a day or two and refrigerated earlier than baking (or bake, cool, refrigerate for as much as two days, then reheat lined in a 350 diploma oven), or frozen (thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than baking or reheating).

INGREDIENTS

6 medium eggplant, about 8 x 3 inches

3 tablespoons additional virgin olive oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 pound floor beef (spherical) or lamb

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Kosher salt, to style

Freshly floor black pepper, to style

1 28 oz. can tomato sauce

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

1 giant ball contemporary mozzarella cheese, torn in small items (non-compulsory)

INSTRUCTIONS

Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise and prepare on a foil or parchment lined sheet pan, minimize facet up. Brush the minimize sides with a tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle calmly with salt. Place the pan beneath the broiler on a rack about 3 inches from the broiler, and broil till the tops are deep golden brown. Take away from the oven and put aside.

Transfer a rack to the middle of the oven and warmth the oven to 375 levels F.

In a medium sauté pan, warmth the remaining olive oil over medium warmth. Sauté the onion with a pinch of salt till translucent and cooked via, however not browned. Add garlic and saute simply till aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the bottom meat, sprinkle with cinnamon, extra salt, and pepper, cooking and breaking apart the meat into small items till it’s juicy and browned.

Add half of the tomato sauce (we’re utilizing the remaining shortly), convey to a simmer, and prepare dinner over low warmth for about 10 minutes, or till the sauce takes on a meaty, flavorful style. Style and add extra cinnamon, salt, and pepper if wanted.

Prepare the eggplant halves in a big casserole or lasagna pan. Utilizing a pointy knife, minimize a slit lengthwise down the middle of every half and push the eggplant from both finish to open the slit barely for the filling.

Spoon the cooked tomato meat sauce into the slits and mount on prime of every eggplant half. Then, in the identical saute pan, warmth the remaining tomato sauce with ½ cup water and season calmly with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Simmer for about 5 minutes, then spoon the sauce into the casserole across the eggplant.

Cowl the casserole tightly with foil and bake for about 90 minutes. When you’re quick on time, a shorter baking time is ok, however attempt to hold it within the oven for an hour. Towards the top of baking time, take away the foil and place the mozzarella items over every boat. Proceed baking till the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Take away the casserole from the oven, sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts, and serve after the eggplant rests for about 10 minutes.