Grilled Eggplant Puree and Minced Meat in Tomato Sauce
BATERSH
SYRIA
I remember first having this dish, a specialty of Hama, in Syria, in the delightful courtyard of an Ottoman house converted into a restaurant in what was left of the old quarter of Hama—the father of the current president destroyed much of the city to quell an uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. Batersh is a delightful dish, rather similar to the Turkish hunkar begendi, except that in the Turkish version, the meat is cut into chunks and the eggplant puree is fluffier.
SERVES 4
FOR THE EGGPLANT PUREE
4 large eggplants (2¼ pounds/1 kg total)
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
⅓ cup (90 g) yogurt
⅓ cup (80 ml) tahini
Sea salt
FOR THE MEAT TOPPING
3 tablespoons (45 g) unsalted butter
1 pound 2 ounces (500 g) lean ground lamb, from the shoulder or leg
One 14-ounce (400 g) can Italian chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR SERVING
A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the stems discarded, finely chopped
2 ounces (60 g) pine nuts, toasted in a hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown
1. To make the eggplant puree: Prick the eggplants with the tip of a knife in a few places and char over an outdoor grill, over a gas burner, or under the broiler until the skin is blackened and the eggplants are very soft, about 20 to 25 minutes on each side. (I normally char the skin over a gas flame to get the smoky flavor, then I put the eggplants to roast in a hot oven for 30 minutes or so to cook them through; this way I avoid the mess of the flying charred skin all over the gas burner and I still get a smoky taste.)
2. Halve the grilled eggplants lengthwise and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Put in a sieve to drain off the excess liquid. Transfer the eggplant flesh to a shallow bowl and mash with a potato masher or with a fork. Add the garlic, yogurt, and tahini. Season with salt to taste and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Keep warm.
3. To make the meat topping: Melt the butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the lamb and sauté, breaking up any lumps, until it has lost all traces of pink. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and ¼ cup (60 ml) water. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let bubble gently for 15 minutes or so, until the sauce has thickened and there is no excess liquid. Keep hot.
4. To serve, spread the eggplant puree over a serving platter, raising the edges so that you can spoon the minced meat inside the edge. Sprinkle the chopped parsley all over the edges and the toasted pine nuts over the meat. Serve immediately with bread.