Crisp Spiced Mince Lamb & Bulgar Stuffed Aubergines

Instructions

1. Cut aubergines lengthways and cut a criss-cross pattern into the flesh, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Chargrill on a BBQ or grill pan until half cooked, so it is soft enough to cut out the insides but firm enough that it keeps its shape and set aside to cool
3. With a spoon, carefully cut the flesh out of the aubergines, so there is about 1cm left around the shell edge, move shells to the oven tray, and set them aside.
4. Chop aubergine flesh small and set aside
5. Pre-heat oven to 180°C
6. In a saucepan over medium heat with a little oil, fry the onions and garlic until starting to colour
7. Add the minced lamb, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, keep stirring to break up the lamb, add the pomegranate molasses
8. Add the chopped aubergine flesh to the pan and keep cooking until the lamb is almost charring slightly
9. In another saucepan, make the bulgar wheat – sauté onions in a pan on medium heat with olive oil until translucent, keep stirring, so they do not colour
10. Add diced pepper and stir for a few minutes, add tomato purée, salt, and pepper
11. Cook for a few minutes more, making sure the mixture does not burn. You can add more oil if needed
12. Add the bulgar wheat and butter to the pan, pour in the stock, and stir until tomato purée has dissolved into the liquid evenly
13. Cover the pan with a tightly fitted lid, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed
14. Once bulgar wheat is cooked, use a fork to fluff up the grains
15. Mix the bulgar into the saucepan with the lamb so it is well combined
16. Fill the aubergine shells with the bulgar and lamb mixture carefully, so the shells stay intact
17. Fill all 4 shells pressing all the mixture down into a mound-like shape in each one
18. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until heated through
19. 2-3 minutes before 30 minutes is up, remove from the oven and grate some fresh parmesan over the top, just a sprinkle, not too much
20. Cook in the oven until parmesan turns, starts to colour slightly
21. Remove from oven, set aside for 5 minutes
22. Arrange on a serving platter, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and parsley
23. Drizzle some pomegranate molasses over the top and serve