SHEIKH EL MEHSHI
Sheikh el Mehshi calls for medium to small eggplants, similar in length to a standard mobile phone, whether an Android or iPhone. When selecting eggplants, always pick the smoother and shinier ones because this indicates freshness. For this dish, the eggplants are cooked two ways to maximize their flavors, first fried and then baked. Frying crisps up the eggplant skin and gives it its golden tone, while baking transforms the inside into a silky texture. Once fried, the eggplants are stuffed with spiced minced meat cooked with sweet onions and combined with toasted pine seeds. Finally, the stuffed eggplants are baked, drenched in a tomato puree, leaving them so tender (and juicy!) that you won’t even need a knife to enjoy them.
INGREDIENTS
½ cup pine seeds
8 medium eggplants
2 cups canola oil
4 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
350 grams minced beef
2 medium onions, diced
2 teaspoons allspice
20 cracks black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 large beef tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
½ cup water
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Toast the pine seeds: Toast the pine seeds in a deep skillet over medium-high heat (7/10 with an electric oven). Stir occasionally until the seeds turn golden brown, which should take around 10 minutes starting from a cool pan. At the 5 minute mark, you should start to hear the seeds sizzle. Because pine seeds are packed with their own delicious oils, which are extracted when heated, additional oil is not required to get them golden. Use a deep skillet for toasting, as you’ll be using the same skillet to fry the eggplants and prepare the meat stuffing, which means less cleanup later!
Preparing the eggplants: Cut the stems off the eggplants by slicing just below the base of the stem. Starting from the top of the eggplant and going all the way to the bottom, peel off a strip of the eggplant skin, leaving a strip of eggplant skin, and continuing to alternate to create something resembling a zebra peel. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt on the peeled eggplants to prevent them from browning. Heat the canola oil in a deep skillet over high heat (8/10 with an electric oven). Once the oil is hot, fry the eggplants until golden, around 7 minutes per side. When squeezed with tongs, the thickest part of the eggplant should feel tender. Strain eggplants from the oil using a slotted spatula and place them on a paper towel to cool. Discard the used oil. With a knife, make an incision in the center of each eggplant which transforms them into a vessel ready to welcome and hug the minced meat mixture. Make sure not to cut all the way through the eggplants.
Preparing the meat stuffing: Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat (7/10 with an electric oven). Add the onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and cook while stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent and start browning along their borders, around 7 minutes. Add the minced meat, toasted pine seeds, allspice, black pepper, and cinnamon and stir until the meat turns from pink to brown, the excess juices from the cooked meat evaporates and the onions caramelized even further around 10 minutes.
Preparing the tomato sauce: Place a box grater in a large bowl and grate the tomatoes. Discard the tomato skins. Add the tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt, sugar, and water to the grated tomatoes and combine.
Combining the prepared ingredients: In a medium oven-safe glass or ceramic roasting tray, pour half the tomato sauce along the base of the tray. Place the cooked eggplants over the tomato sauce, incision side up. Using a spoon, generously stuff the eggplants with the meat filling. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the stuffed eggplants.
Cooking: Bake the eggplants in the oven until very tender, around 30 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.
Serving: Sheik El Mehshi is best served hot, with a side of white rice.
Recipe, Photography, Food Styling, Prop Styling by: TALA SOUBRA
I read and reply to all comments. So please do share your thoughts about the recipe.
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM
