HUNKAR BEGENDI - Lamb Casserole with smoked eggplant puree

Well we are back from Greece...I feel like it was all a dream...The weather, the swimming, hanging out with friends and family and the food!  Well if it was a dream it was an amazing one.


I love eggplants so whilst in Istanbul I of course ordered the "Sultan's Delight"..It was delicious...I had a bit of craving this morning so I made it for dinner...


Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil
2 onions chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
500g lamb cubed
salt/pepper
400g canned chopped tomato
1 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili
1 tsp oregano
3 allspice berries
2 cups water

sauce
3 medium eggplants
juice 1 lemon
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
300 ml milk
60g kaseri cheese grated (cheddar is fine)

To prepare the sauce, place the eggplants on a hot gas flame and rotate until soft and charred.  Cool and peel and then add flesh to a bowl of cold water and lemon juice.  Leave to sit for at least 15 minutes or until you are ready to serve.  Drain the eggplants and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.  Mash with a fork and set aside.


For the casserole saute the onion and garlic until softened and then add the meat. Once the meat is sealed add the wine, tomato paste, tomato and spices.  Stir, add 1 cup of water and simmer for 1 hour on low to medium heat.  At this point taste and add more water.  Cook for approximately anothe 1/2 hour or until the meat is tender.

To finish the eggplant sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan ands stir in the flour.  Cook and stir for about 1 minute then gradually add the milk cook over medium heat until creamy.  Stir in grated cheese until melted and then the eggplant.

To serve place sauce on the bottom of the plate and the lamb in the middle on top of the sauce..

Enjoy

xxx Carol