Other

Spiced Aubergine Beef Crumble

Name: KARAN BEEF
Address: 32 Merino Avenue, City Deep, 2049, ZA
Telephone: +27119955000

Recipe overview

Prep: 25 min
Cooking: 20 min
Ready in 45 min
Serves 2 - 4 people

Ingredients

500g minced beef
2 large aubergines, halved lengthways
Olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp smoked chilli flakes
2 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1 cup tinned tomatoes
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted, for garnish
1 ciabatta roll, roughly torn

Tahini Yoghurt::
1 cup yoghurt
2 Tbsp tahini paste (see below)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt

Tahini paste (optional to make from scratch)::
1/2 cup white sesame seeds
+-3 Tbsp olive oil

Tips and tricks

These stuffed aubergines can be served as an appetizer for 4 people or as a main meal with a variety of side dishes.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/390°F.
Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and prick their flesh with the tines of a fork being careful not to pierce through the skin.
Lightly brush each of the aubergines with olive oil and arrange on a baking tray with their flesh facing down and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until soft.
In the meantime, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and fry the onion until soft and translucent.
Add the pine nuts, garlic, allspice, smoked chilli flakes and chopped mint to the onions and fry for a few minutes until the pine nuts are turning golden and the spices are fragrant.
Stir in the minced beef and evenly brown the meat. Then pour in the cup of tomatoes, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes on a medium heat.
Make the tahini yoghurt by combining the yoghurt with the tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic and season with salt. Set aside until needed.
Remove the aubergines from the oven and using a fork, gently mash the aubergine flesh in their skins.
Place the pieces of roughly torn bread onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and toast in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden.
Remove the minced beef from the heat and stir in the pomegranate molasses.
Generously fill each aubergine with the beef mixture and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Crumble the golden ciabatta toast over the top and serve with the creamy tahini yoghurt.
Method: Tahini Paste
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until they become golden brown. Be careful, sesame seeds burn easily. Remove and allow to cool.
Add the sesame seeds to a food processor/blender, start by using 2 tablespoons of olive oil and blend into a smooth paste. Pour in more olive oil if needed to reach the consistency of a paste.
The tahini paste can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several months.