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Lamb Stew over Charred Eggplant Puree

Lamb Stew over Charred Eggplant Puree

Seasonal and Savory
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon bacon fat (or ghee)
  • 2 pounds lamb shoulder chops (4-5 chops)
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 7 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
  • 3 cups water

For the puree

  • 2 medium eggplants
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • juice of one lemon
  • 1/2 cup grated, aged cheese, such as Parmesan or Asiago
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • You want a heavy pot with a lid to braise the lamb--I used a 4-quart Le Creuset. Place the pot, uncovered, over a burner set to medium-high heat. Add the bacon fat or ghee and let it melt. Add the lamb chops and lightly brown them on both sides.
  • When the chops are browned, turn off the burner and add all of the remaining stew ingredients to the pot: onion, tomato paste, salt, black pepper, garlic, mushrooms, and water. Cover the pot and put it in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours, or until the lamb falls off of the bone when you move it with a fork. Check the liquid levels in the pot after an hour and a half, and add additional water, if needed.
  • While the lamb is braising, make the eggplant puree. Char the eggplant over a gas burner (or using an outdoor grill), using tongs to turn it every few minutes so it will cook evenly. When the skin is charred and the eggplant is soft enough that it is starting to collapse, move it to a plate to cool down enough to handle.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut the stem ends off of the eggplants, and to scrape off all of the charred skin. Cut the eggplants into large hunks and transfer them to a food processor (you can also mash this by hand, using a fork or a potato masher). Add the butter, white pepper, lemon juice, and grated cheese to the food processor and then pulse until you have the texture you like. Taste and adjust the salt, as needed.
  • When you are ready to serve the stew, spoon the eggplant puree onto a serving platter. Use a large spoon to break up the lamb in the pot, and then spoon the hot stew over the lamb puree. Serve immediately.