Lebanese Baked Eggplant With Beef and Pine Nuts

A more healthy model of the favored Lebanese baked eggplant dish that is filled with taste because of toasted pine nuts, cinnamon, and tender eggplant.

Eggplant is one in all my favourite greens. I eat it virtually each week, particularly within the Summer season when it’s so available. Sauteed with soy and ginger, grilled with olive oil and herbs, or roasted with peppers and tomatoes – this can be very versatile, very reasonably priced, and extremely nutritious. A conventional Lebanese eggplant recipe is made with floor lamb and rendered butter, however in an effort to scale back energy, saturated fats, and ldl cholesterol, I’ve created a more healthy model that also hits the spot: my Lebanese Baked Eggplant with Beef.

Substances

• Eggplant: Spongy and gentle in taste, it’s nice at absorbing the opposite flavors round it.
• Olive oil: A coronary heart wholesome oil that’s nice for roasting and cooking.
• Pine nuts: Candy, nutty taste that’s enormously enhanced by roasting.
• Floor beef: Both chuck or sirloin will work, I desire sirloin for the decrease fats content material.
• Heat spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice are generally utilized in beef dishes in Lebanese delicacies as they add a scrumptious heat to the meals, in addition to nice antioxidants.
• Onion: I take advantage of a white onion, because it’s gentle in taste and caramelizes properly to sweeten the flavour.
• Hen broth: With the crushed tomatoes, it provides taste and moisture to the sauce of the dish.
• Crushed tomatoes: Paired with the nice and cozy spices, it creates a traditional tomato sauce of Lebanese meals.

Methods to Make Baked Eggplant with Beef

Put together on your Lebanese baked eggplant by slicing your eggplant into discs and dicing your onion.

Then on a ready baking sheet, coat either side of your eggplant with olive oil.

Season with kosher salt and pepper on either side, earlier than broiling within the oven on excessive for about 5 minutes a facet.

Then in a big pan or skillet, warmth up some olive oil and saute your onion.

Add your floor beef and break up into small items.

Season along with your nutmeg and allspice.

And a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

As soon as browned, add the crushed tomatoes and rooster broth.

Season the crushed tomatoes generously with the cinnamon, stir within the toasted pine nuts, and take away from warmth.

Then in a glass baking dish, scoop a layer of the tomato and beef combination into the underside and unfold evenly.

Subsequent lay your roasted eggplant in an excellent layer throughout the dish.

Cowl the eggplant with the remaining tomato and beef mixure earlier than throwing within the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes.

When completed, garnish with contemporary parsley and extra pine nuts.

Serve alone, or excessive of a rice pilaf and luxuriate in your Lebanese Baked Eggplant with Beef!

Straightforward Substitutions

• Make it vegetarian. As a substitute of beef, add in different greens like cauliflower, carrots, or squash.
• Swap the protein. Make it the extra conventional method and use floor lamb, or you may use floor turkey.

Incessantly Requested Questions:

Extra LEbanese Recipes

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Whether or not served over rice or eaten stand alone, my Lebanese Baked Eggplant with Beef is a good way to delve into Lebanese delicacies.

Your fork is ready.