Sheikh al-Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Eggplant with Meat)

About This Recipe

Sheikh al-mahshi, meaning 'king of stuffed dishes,' reflects the special regard this eggplant preparation holds in Lebanese home cooking, its filling more generous and richly spiced than many other stuffed vegetable dishes in the region. The eggplants are fried first until soft and lightly golden, a step that both flavors them and makes them tender enough to hold a hollow, before being filled with a mixture of ground beef, onion, pine nuts and warm baharat spice. Baked briefly in a simple tomato sauce, the finished dish arrives soft and deeply savory, the eggplant almost custardy against the well-seasoned meat filling, traditionally served with rice or warm flatbread to complete the meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4medium eggplants(halved lengthwise)
• 1/2 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 400 gground beef
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1/4 cuppine nuts
• 1 tspbaharat
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 2 cupscrushed tomatoes(for sauce)
• 1 cupwater(for sauce)
• 1/2 tspsalt(for sauce)
• 2 tbspchopped parsley(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the eggplants

   Scoop a shallow well from the cut side of each eggplant half, then fry cut-side down in hot oil until soft and golden, about 8 minutes; drain on paper towels.

2. 2

   Make the filling

   Cook onion in a little oil until soft, add garlic and ground beef, cooking until browned, then stir in pine nuts, baharat, salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Stuff the eggplants

   Fill the hollowed eggplant halves generously with the meat mixture.

4. 4

   Make the sauce

   Whisk crushed tomatoes, water and salt.

5. 5

   Bake

   Arrange the stuffed eggplants in a baking dish, pour the tomato sauce around them, and bake at 190C/375F for 25-30 minutes until bubbling.

   Basting the eggplants with the sauce partway through keeps the exposed filling from drying out.

6. 6

   Serve

   Garnish with parsley and serve hot with rice.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version replaces the beef with a mix of mushrooms and extra pine nuts.

• •

  Ground lamb can replace beef for a richer, more traditional flavor.

• •

  Adding a pinch of cinnamon to the filling gives it extra warmth, common in some regional variations.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat covered in a 180C/350F oven with a splash of water to keep the sauce from drying out.

Frequently Asked Questions