The farmers market has been full of early falls bounty lately including lots of eggplants, tomatoes and peppers. I really enjoy eggplant and I am always on the lookout for new ways to use it and I recently came across a really interesting sounding recipe for kebabs wrapped in eggplant baked in tomato sauce on Elra’s Cooking . Kebab is a variety of meat dishes in Mediterranean cuisine where in this case it is a spiced ground lamb with lots of herbs that is wrapped in eggplant and then roasted in tomato sauce. One thing that I have always found interesting in Mediterranean is the use of cinnamon in meat dishes and I was kind of expecting/hoping to see it in this recipe and when I did not I added some for that hint of exotic. The next change that I made to the recipe was to broil the eggplant slices rather than frying them in oil to lighten up the dish a bit. For the tomato sauce I used a simple marinara sauce recipe except that I roasted the tomatoes first to add even more flavour. Though the eggplant wrapped kebabs took a bit of time to make, everything was pretty easy and they turned out great! I really like the way that the tomato slices on top roasted down to perfection, caramelizing slightly and concentrating their flavour. The eggplant worked really well as a wrap and meat on the inside was nice and moist and tender and tasty. The roasted tomato sauce finished off the dish nicely adding a ton of flavour. I served the kebab wrapped in eggplant with some feta and some crusty bread.
Eggplant Wrapped Kebabs Baked in Tomato Sauce
ingredients
- 4 eggplants (sliced lengthwise to 1/8 inch)
- salt
- olive oil
- 2 green peppers (sliced into 1 inch strips)
- 2 tomatoes (sliced)
- kebab meat (see below)
- 1 batch of your favourite tomato sauce (I used a roasted tomato marinara sauce)
directions
- Salt the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the salt from the eggplant and pat dry.
- Brush the eggplant with olive oil and broil in the oven until tender, about 3-5 minutes per side.
- Place some of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Place one slice of eggplant across another and place some of the kebab meat in the middle.
- Wrap both sides of the lower eggplant up and over followed by the sides of the outer slice of eggplant.
- Place the eggplant wrapped kebab parcels into the baking dish and top with more tomato sauce, slices of tomatoes and pepper.
- Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven until the tomatoes and peppers are nice an roasted and the sides are bubbling, about 45-60 minutes.
Spiced Lamb Kebab Meat
ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 cup herbs such as parsley, mint, cilantro (chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- salt and pepper
directions
- Mix everything, cover and let sit in the fridge while you prepare the eggplant.
meeso says
October 7, 2009 at 12:50 amDarn… eggplant wrapped around meat… that sounds too good!
VeggieGirl says
October 7, 2009 at 12:50 amGotta love all the eggplants at the market right now, for sure!
Kathleen says
October 7, 2009 at 1:53 amWow this looks incredible!My husband is Lebanese and I was taught how to cook arabic food by his mama. This looks like a great twist on some familiar favorites. I am with you on broiling the eggplant rather than frying. It acts like such a sponge and if I can cut a few calories I'm all for it. Next time try adding allspice in lieu of cinnamon. That's the main spice in Kibbee and the grape leaves I was taught to make! Thanks for all your help today 🙂 kathleen
Elra says
October 7, 2009 at 2:12 amOh my gosh, you made it!!!! I like your version as well. I agree completely that frying the eggplant is pretty on the heavier side, because they just love to soak up all of the oil. I would really want to try broil instead of frying. Good idea Kevin! Oh one more thing, I gues you have the patient of roasting your own tomatoes, but I know it all worth it. YUM!
DCRose says
October 7, 2009 at 2:19 amThis looks great
Jenn says
October 7, 2009 at 2:49 amLooks good! Nice idea to wrap the meat with the eggplant. Yummy!!
Ferni's Food says
October 7, 2009 at 3:15 ameggplants are yummy! They are only a dollar at my supermarket right now! : D
Nina Timm says
October 7, 2009 at 3:25 amI love eggplants, Kevin, you're killing me here!!!!
Rosa's Yummy Yums says
October 7, 2009 at 3:55 amA fabulous creation! Surely delicious tasting!
Cheers,
Rosa
mirtilla says
October 7, 2009 at 6:00 amBuono!
high over happy says
October 7, 2009 at 7:35 amyou do the most wonderful things to eggplants. it is my new favorite vegetable, so i am inspired.
Joanne says
October 7, 2009 at 10:18 amThere are so many things to love about this dish. First of all – the eggplant! Second of all – the kebabs. You did right by adding cinnamon. Third of all – feta and crusty bread! Heavenly.
Lea Ann says
October 7, 2009 at 1:06 pmWow, this looks so interesting. You post some very clever recipes. I've saved so many, now I just need to find the time to prepare them.
unconfidentialcook says
October 7, 2009 at 2:36 pmI missed this on Elra's blog–everything she makes is so amazing, these included. Thanks for coming by again.
Homecooked says
October 7, 2009 at 5:22 pmThis looks so good! I am always ready for kebabs 🙂
Diana Evans says
October 7, 2009 at 6:54 pmoh yummmmmmmm!!! I have some eggplants in the garden…I will have to try this out!!!
Ivy says
October 7, 2009 at 7:11 pmOh I love eggplants with that marinara sauce they sound delicious.
Kerstin says
October 7, 2009 at 9:21 pmWhat a gorgeous presentation! And it looks absolutely mouth watering – yum!
pityenlacocina says
October 7, 2009 at 10:12 pmi love love the colour in this plate, your recipe is lovely and delicious, ver ywell done!
cheers from london,
pity
Dawn says
October 7, 2009 at 10:14 pmwhat a great idea to wrap it w/ eggplant. love this. very healthy too
Tom says
October 8, 2009 at 4:55 pmThis is a related article discussing the benefits of eggplant
mona says
October 8, 2009 at 10:13 pmEggplant is my favorite too. Kababs wrapped in eggplant sounds too tempting. Sure gonna try it.
Ciao Chow Linda says
October 9, 2009 at 7:18 pmKevin – Love this idea. I never think to make middle eastern food with my eggplants, but this is making me hungry for it.
Neen says
October 11, 2009 at 11:13 pmSo, question for you: in the past 2+ years that I've been following you, I've never seen you cook the same recipe twice. Yet you blog at least 5 times a week… so have you really been cooking 100% new recipes every day for years??
Wow. I'm impressed.
Kevin says
October 12, 2009 at 11:37 amNeen: I am pretty much eating all new recipes all the time. I do enjoy taking my favorite flavours from past dishes and using them in new ways though. 🙂 Occasionally when I get a craving though, I make a duplicate and update the photo in an old post.
Cara says
October 12, 2009 at 12:51 pmGood call on adding the cinnamon~
Coniqua says
November 29, 2009 at 12:38 amI'm trying this tonight. I'm getting so many good lamb and dessert ideas from your blog. I think I'll try the date pecan pie this weekend as well
Marla says
July 5, 2011 at 6:03 pmKevin, these kebabs look unique & fabulous! Love the idea of eggplant.
It is Kebab week at Get Grillin' we would love if you submitted up to any 3 recipes (they don't have to be grilled) to our link up. This one would be perfect!
This week we have a Rosle Grill Utensils giveaway. http://su.pr/1BZGKK
Being Us says
October 27, 2011 at 1:58 pmTried this years ago, made by a lebanses friend. I wanted to recreate them but couldn't remember the recipe! Found yours and made them. Delicious! Thank you… HA