Spiced lamb meatballs with harissa sauce and eggplant pickle salad

eggplant with chilli & herbs in olive oil

MAKES APPROX 2-3 X 500ML AGEESTYLE JARS / PREPARATION TIME 20 MINUTES PLUS DRAINING AND DRYING TIME / COOKING 10 MINUTES

While I have never managed to grow a single eggplant successfully, when the price is right I enjoy making a batch of these to keep or to give as a gift. I try to use smaller eggplants ideally ones that aren’t too seedy. If the skin seems particularly tough, I might peel them first, but chose not to with the smaller purple Japanese eggplants photographed here. Salting draws out the moisture giving a slightly chewier texture. Obviously the quality of the vinegar will affect the final product but you could use white, apple cider or red wine vinegar here. I reuse the oil in cooking.

4 medium eggplants (or 8 smaller ones) ⅓ cup coarse sea salt 750ml white wine vinegar olive oil for covering

4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced chilli flakes

1 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped

Peel the eggplant if desired, then cut into 6mm-thick rounds. Put in a colander, layering with the salt and weigh down with a plate and heavy weights. Leave to drain for 4 hours. Put the vinegar in a large pot with 1 litre of water and bring to the boil. Add the eggplant in batches and cook until tender, approx 6-8 minutes. Drain and weigh down again for an hour. Put onto clean tea towels in a single layer, cover with another tea towel then leave overnight. Sterilise the jars and lids. Put a little olive oil in the bottom of each jar, add a little of the garlic, chilli flakes and parsley leaves. Add the eggplant and repeat each layer, pushing down on the eggplant so it is tightly packed. Top with olive oil, ensuring there are no air pockets (I find a chopstick good for this). Leave for an hour and then top up with more oil if required. Screw on the lid and keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks before using.

SPICED LAMB MEATBALLS WITH HARISSA SAUCE & EGGPLANT PICKLE SALAD

SERVES 4 / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 40 MINUTES

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

500g lamb mince

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander ½ teaspoon allspice pinch chilli flakes

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

½ cup milk

1 cup mint leaves, shredded

1 small bunch coriander leaves and

stalks

2-3 tablespoons harissa,

depending on heat

1 x 400g can tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 cup beef or lamb stock

Heat the oil and fry the onions until soft, then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Remove half the mix from the pan and put into a bowl. Cool, then combine with the lamb mince, cumin, coriander, allspice, chilli flakes, breadcrumbs, milk and half the mint. Shape into walnut-sized balls and set aside.

Finely chop the coriander stalks and add to the pan with the remaining cooked onion, add the harissa and fry for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and the beef stock and cook for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through. Add chopped coriander leaves, the remaining mint and serve with some rice and the following salad.

EGGPLANT PICKLE SALAD

3 small cucumbers, sliced

2 green tomatoes, cut into wedges 1 cup of eggplant pickle small handful of mint leaves, shredded

Combine all the ingredients together and season to taste.

Pizza with eggplant pickle, mozzarella

& prosciutto Spread tomato sauce or passata over pizza bases, add pickled eggplant and sliced mozzarella and bake. Top with rocket leaves and torn slices of prosciutto.

Penne with eggplant pickle,

tomatoes & basil Fry garlic in some of the eggplant oil, add 2-3 chopped tomatoes along with some basil and cook until saucy. Add a good spoonful or two of the pickle and toss through cooked penne. Add some fresh basil and pecorino or Parmesan to finish.