Eggplant Stuffed with Lamb
Forgo the carb heavy option and enjoy a nutritious Eggplant Stuffed with Lamb.
Ingredients
– 1 whole baby eggplant
– 3/4 tbsp pine nuts
– 1/2 tbsp olive oil
– 1/4 whole medium onion
– 1/2 whole garlic clove
– 1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
– 2 1/2 oz diced tomatoes with juice
– 1 tbsp dry jasmine rice
– 2 1/2 oz ground lamb
– 1/4 whole lemon
– 1/2 tbsp parsley
– 5 whole asparagus spears
– 1 tsp butter
– Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Hollow out each eggplant leaving about 1/4 inch on the walls. Rinse with water and set aside.
2. Chop onion and mince garlic.
3. Heat saucepan over medium high heat. Add pine nuts and stir frequently until they are golden in color. Transfer pine nuts to a medium sized bowl.
4. Heat oil in the same saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic to the oil, stirring occasionally until golden. Transfer half of the onion mixture to the bowl with the pine nuts.
5. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper to the remaining onion mixture and simmer.
6. Add rice, lamb, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to the onion/pine nut mixture and mix well. Stuff each eggplant with the meat mixture. Please note, the rice will expand when cooking, so avoid stuffing the eggplants too tightly. If there is any remaining lamb mixture, add it to the tomato sauce.
7. Transfer the eggplants to the saucepan with the tomato sauce and simmer, covered for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Turn the eggplants over once in the middle of the cooking process.
8. When eggplant is almost done, steam asparagus and toss with butter.
9. Serve eggplant with sauce on top. Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve with asparagus.
