Gluten-Free Turkish Stuffed Eggplant (Karniyarik)

Ingredients

• 2 large Eggplants
• 4 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 medium Green Bell Pepper
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 can (14 oz) Diced Tomatoes
• 0.5 cup Rice
• 0.25 cup Parsley
• 1 tsp Dried Mint
• 0.5 tsp Cumin
• 0.25 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Salt
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. 2Cut the 2 large eggplants in half lengthwise. Make shallow cuts in the flesh of each eggplant half in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to cut through the skin. Brush the cut sides of the eggplants with 2 tablespoons of the 4 tbsp olive oil, then sprinkle them evenly with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
3. 3Place the prepared eggplant halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the eggplants feel softened when gently squeezed.
4. 4While the eggplants are baking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the 4 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet (e.g., 12-inch) over medium heat. Add the 1 lb ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is browned all over and no pink remains, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully drain off any excess fat from the skillet.
5. 5Add the 1 medium onion (finely diced) and 1 medium green bell pepper (finely diced) to the skillet with the browned ground beef. Cook, stirring often, for 5-7 minutes, until they have softened. Stir in the 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until you can smell its fragrance.
6. 6Stir in the 2 tbsp tomato paste, the 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained), the 0.5 cup rice (uncooked), the 0.25 cup chopped parsley, the 1 tsp dried mint, the 0.5 tsp cumin, and the 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened slightly.
7. 7Carefully remove the baked eggplants from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, or until they are cool enough to handle comfortably. Using a spoon, gently scoop out some of the cooked flesh from the center of each eggplant half, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the skin, to create a cavity for the filling. Finely chop the scooped-out eggplant flesh and add it to the ground beef mixture in the skillet. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
8. 8Spoon the prepared ground beef and eggplant mixture evenly into the cavities of the eggplant halves. Carefully place the stuffed eggplants back onto the baking sheet.
9. 9Bake the stuffed eggplants in the 375°F (190°C) oven for another 30 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and the eggplant flesh is very tender when pierced with a fork. Serve hot, perhaps with a simple green salad.

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