SPICED GROUND TURKEY ON GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH MIDDLE EASTERN SALAD
From Chef Elizabeth Wiley 1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion; small dice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon mild ground chile, such as Aleppo or ancho
Pinch of chili flakes or your favorite spicy something
1 cup good canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons of tomato paste, or 1/2 cup of canned tomatoes with juice
Salt and pepper
Saute onion in olive oil until it begins to turn soft. Add the raw turkey and break up with a spoon. Keep attending to it until fairly broken up, with the clumps turning beige, though still pink inside.
Add the chicken broth and tomato product and stir to combine, then cook until turkey is cooked through, letting the liquid mostly evaporate. Put the contents of the skillet into a food processor. Pulse until all is minced finely. Return to pan and add spices, cooking a minute to activate the flavors. The spiced ground meat should be a bit moist so that it kind of sticks together, not dry and crumbly. Add a glug of chicken stock if it does seem dry. Season with salt and pepper and taste for spices, adjusting to your liking.
Thickly slice, oil, and salt and pepper an eggplant. Grill or roast the slices until they are cooked through, with a custardy interior.
Chop cucumber, cherry tomato, and some poblano or bell pepper in 1/2-inch pieces. Add part of a can of chickpeas if you have it. Or green peas if you like. Or anything you like. Dress with a little lemon juice and olive oil, and salt and pepper. Add some mint, dill, cilantro and/or parsley leaves.
Open a container of hummus and spread a large spoonful onto a plate. Or use tahini if you prefer. Lay two or three slices of eggplant on top. Mound a good amount of the seasoned ground turkey on top of the eggplant. Spoon the dressed salad on top of that.
If I do use tahini, I like to drizzle a bit of yogurt on top of everything. I also like roasted, salted pumpkin seeds for crunch! I’ve been known to drizzle hot chile oil on as well. You get the idea — whatever you want.