Garlicky Lamb Stuffed Eggplant using the Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker

There are garlic presses… and then there’s this garlic rocker!! Quicker, easier, kinder to your hand as there is no squeezing motion, just press down and rock! Yes!!! I minced 8 cloves of garlic in 47 seconds! How about that?!?

And, it’s gorgeous to look at. Being a designer, this is super important. Form follows function here. This one-piece brushed stainless steel tool is truly a thing of beauty. I think I might just leave it out on the counter at all times, just to admire! This amazing kitchen tool was in our spring MARY’s secret ingredients box. You can get your very own rocker and still order a box here.

Joseph Joseph is this incredible company based in the UK. It is owned by two twin brothers, hence the name, Joseph Joseph. All of their items are cleverly and beautifully designed and I was not familiar with them until recently. You should check out their site as I’m sure you’ll want more of their handsomeness and usefulness in your kitchen.

So I made up this lamb and eggplant dish with plenty of garlic to put the rocker to the test. Make this with LOVE and get 2 different meals out of it – the first night stuffed in the eggplant shells and the second night as a sauce over pasta. Works for me for busy weeknights!

While the first night does take a bit more time – about 45 minutes – the second night is just the time it takes to cook some pasta. All easy. All good.

GARLICKY LAMB STUFFED EGGPLANT – serves 2 with leftovers for 3 more meals with pasta

1 small eggplant
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt
Pepper – fresh ground
1 tsp. dried Greek oregano
1 lb. ground lamb
8 cloves of garlic
1 yellow pepper, ½ chopped into 1/3” squares and the rest in strips for garnish
1 28 oz. can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes
2 pinches of red chili flakes
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2.5 oz. baby spinach leaves

Preheat over to 425 degrees.

Wash, dry and trim your eggplant. Cut in half lengthwise and score in diamond shapes as shown in the photo. Cut deep but do not cut through the skin. Drizzle 1 Tbs. of olive oil over each half, spreading open the cuts as you do. Season with salt, fresh ground pepper and the dried oregano. Roast in the oven for 35 – 40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, brown the ground lamb, breaking it up into small chunks, in a non-stick skillet. Mince the peeled garlic with the garlic rocker. There! That only took about 40 seconds, yay!!!

When lamb has browned, drain the juices and fat, leaving about 1 Tbs. in the skillet.

Add the garlic, the tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you add, and the chopped yellow pepper. Salt and pepper to taste and add the chili flakes. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring every once in a while. Your sauce should thicken nicely while the eggplant continues to roast.

When the eggplant is done, scoop out the chunks and add to the sauce along with the cumin and reduce to a simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add in the washed baby spinach and stir to barely wilt it. Taste to see if any additional salt and pepper are needed.

Serve in the eggplant skin shells and garnish with the yellow pepper strips. Delish!!

And then on the next night, you can whip this up in a jiffy with the leftover Garlicky Lamb Eggplant Mixture!

GARLICKY LAMB EGGPLANT SAUCE OVER PASTA – serves 3

Leftover lamb and eggplant mixture from the above recipe
½ lb. pasta – I used spaghetti
Maldon salt
Grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Warm the leftover lamb and eggplant mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds – 1 minute to take the chill off.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it with coarse sea salt and add ½ lb. of pasta. Test at two minutes less than the package directions. When done to al dente, remove a cup full of pasta water and then drain the pasta.

Toss the pasta with the lamb and eggplant mixture, adding a few tablespoons of pasta water.

Did you know that adding pasta water makes your sauce adhere better to the pasta? Yes it’s true! Add enough water to make that work and loosen the sauce.

Serve in shallow bowls, season with crushed Maldon salt and grated Pecorino Romano cheese if you like. Enjoy!!