Lazy Layered Eggplant

Ingredients

  • 4 eggplants, sliced in 1⁄2 inch thick rounds
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes or 2 pounds tomatoes, diced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
  • juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350*F.  
  2. Place eggplant on baking sheet and bake 30 minutes or until tender.  
  3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce.  Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 15 minutes.  Add lamb and cook until no longer pink.  
  4. Add tomatoes, salt, coriander, black pepper, cumin, and cayenne.  Stir to combine and remove sauce to large bowl.   
  5. Layer half of the cooked eggplant in now-empty skillet.  Spread half of sauce over eggplant.  Top with remaining eggplant.  Stir parsley into remaining sauce then spoon sauce into skillet.  Continue cooking, over medium heat, 5 to 10 minutes.  
  6. Sprinkle with lemon juice before serving.  

Comments

This recipe is from Grok Grub and it had potential, but left a lot to be desired.  The eggplant was spongy and not super flavorful as a result.  I think this would have been better if the eggplant had been diced and sautéed first to give it some flavor and better texture.  The dish has some potential because the rest of the flavors were solid, so I might revisit it in the future.