Eggplants in a pomegranate and walnut sauce
October 21, 2011 • Category: Main Dish
This eggplant dish is meatless however it will leave you totally satiated. The walnuts and bulgur do the trick: Paired with fresh pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic and a touch of cinnamon, they deliver depth of flavor and a sweet/tart taste.
I came up with this last summer but go back to it whenever it is pomegranate season; the stuffing can include rice or breadcrumbs or other grains instead of bulgur. Yogurt is a topping that my daughter thought of and it worked very well.
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 to 6 eggplants, preferably the long and skinny ones
- 1/2 cup of fine bulgur (#1)
- 1 cup of walnuts, chopped coarsely
- 3 cloves of garlic, mashed in a mortar with a teaspoon of salt
- 3 tbsp of pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 tsp of cinnamon or allspice
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 tsp of Aleppo pepper or 1 red chili pepper depending on taste
- 8 oz (1 cup) of fresh pomegranate juice (or bottled)
- olive oil, as needed
- yogurt if desired
METHOD:
- Peel the eggplants with a vegetable peeler; sprinkle with salt and let them drain some juice for a while (30 minutes or longer). To make pomegranate juice, place pomegranate arils in a food processor, pulse a few seconds and drain through a sieve collecting the juice and pressing on the seeds with a meat mallet. Mix the juice with the pomegranate molasses and the brown sugar.
- Mash the garlic, chop the walnuts. Soak the bulgur in a cup of hot water for 10 minutes and drain, squeezing the excess water out. Mix the bulgur, walnuts, garlic, cinnamon and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl.
- Dry the eggplants and fry in hot oil until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes or so. Drain on paper towels and with a knife, score the eggplants in the middle lengthwise; insert the stuffing with a spoon.
- Place the eggplants in a skillet, add the pomegranate juice and cover. If you have stuffing leftover, add it to the pomegranate sauce (it will give the sauce some body); simmer over gentle heat for 40 minutes or until the eggplants are extra tender and soft. Serve warm or at room temperature with some yogurt if desired.
Comments
33 Comments • Comments Feed
Oui, Chef says:
Oohhh….I’ve got some cooked barley in my fridge, and may use that instead of the bulgur and make this over the weekend. Looks delicious!
On October 21, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Rosa says:
That is a wonderful dish and great combination! I love your plate/bowl.
Cheers,
Rosa
On October 21, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Devaki says:
Oh my goodness! This is a wonderful creation – so elegant & filling – not to mention FULL of nuitrition. I love stuffed eggplants in all forms and fashion 🙂
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
On October 21, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Eve@CheapEthnicEatz says:
Beautiful creation and I can see how filling and satisfying it would be. So nice with the pomegranate too. And the topping of yogurt was a great idea you daughter had.
On October 21, 2011 at 3:37 pm
Arlette says:
A very nice recipe Joumana… I like the combinations
you are still here I thought you are leaving… I might visit
Orlando in the Spring of 2012, I will let you know….
On October 21, 2011 at 8:01 pm
Juls says:
I loooooooove the sound of this dish! Unfortunately, my partner has an ongoing vendetta against aubergine/eggplant. Would it work if I substituted the aubergine for squash? (Seeing as he has a vendetta against courgettes and peppers as well. Stupid boy.)
On October 22, 2011 at 1:52 am
Joumana says:
@Juls: I have never tried it with squash. Why not?
On October 22, 2011 at 8:16 am
Mercotte says:
en vrai toutes les recettes d’aubergine sont à mettre soigneusement de côté, j’aime !
On October 22, 2011 at 9:57 am
Angie's Recipes says:
Gorgeous! I love the flavour!
On October 22, 2011 at 10:34 am
Ruby says:
OMG this looks and sounds amazing. So many flavours I love – I’m bookmarking it for next week’s menu!
On October 22, 2011 at 2:53 pm
skip to malou says:
those eggplants looks like a spoon/scoop that is full of flavors that will surely explode in your mouth… yum!
On October 22, 2011 at 10:28 pm
Carolyn says:
I made this tonight exactly as your recipe says and it was amazing. We enjoyed every last spoonful! I served it with a side of steamed basmati rice and fresh olives and bread that we picked up from our local Lebanese market/bakery. This is one I will make again – but next time I’ll make it for my Lebanese in-laws who I know will really enjoy it!
On October 22, 2011 at 11:03 pm
Joumana says:
@Carolyn: So pleased you enjoyed it! 🙂
On October 23, 2011 at 8:38 am
Hyma Bala says:
this is such a different way to cook eggplants…will deftly try it! thx for the idea
On October 23, 2011 at 5:34 am
Rachel K says:
I love aubergine and this sounds divine. I’m bookmarking this one too!
On October 23, 2011 at 7:53 am
domi says:
Délicieuses ces aubergines en salées , sucrées….bisous
On October 23, 2011 at 8:09 am
Nadji says:
J’ai dû mal jusqu’à présent à trouver de bonnes grenades.
Celles que nous avons viennent surtout d’Espagne et le goût n’est pas terrible.
J’adore l’aubergine et cette version me plait beaucoup. Je note la recette.
A très bientôt
On October 23, 2011 at 10:49 am
H.R. says:
It looks absolutely delish. I am sure it must taste brilliant too.
On October 23, 2011 at 11:09 am
Cherine says:
I love eggplants and this must taste sooo good.
On October 23, 2011 at 11:21 am
Chiara says:
this sounds amazing Joumana!
On October 23, 2011 at 11:41 am
Alaiyo Kiasi says:
I’m oddly attracted to pomegranates. When I was a child, they grew wildly in our yard, and I pretended they were Garden-of-Eden trees. Anyway, all of the ingredients in this dish individually, but you’ve put them together in one beautiful and intriguing dish. It’s beautiful.
Alaiyo
On October 23, 2011 at 1:30 pm
Alaiyo Kiasi says:
Geez, I left a word out. I meant I LIKE all of the ingredients in your dish individually, but you’ve put them together in one beautiful and intriguing dish.
Alaiyo
On October 23, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Katie@Cozydelicious says:
These look so yummy! I bought some little Brazilian eggplant at the farmer’s market (had never seen them before, so bright red and pretty) and I might try them with this recipe. It will be so colorful with the pomegranates.
On October 23, 2011 at 7:23 pm
s says:
J- you are using all my fave ingredients- esp aubergine and pomegranate. and i love the bowl. x s
On October 23, 2011 at 8:47 pm
sare says:
I love things, made with pomegranate. Last year I made my pomegranate juice for salads. I t was perfect.
Thank you for sharing us.
On October 24, 2011 at 1:42 am
Richa@HobbyandMore says:
never thought of adding pomegranate to eggplant.. the dish looks suberb.. and all the goodness of the spices and walnuts!
On October 24, 2011 at 3:51 pm
Irina says:
This looks very promising — I absolutely love anything involving eggplant, and am always looking for new ways to use pomegranate molasses. Will make!
On October 26, 2011 at 11:21 pm
kouky says:
hummm! délicieuses associations!! c’est aussi la saison des grenades chez nous, il y en a à profusion! mais dommage la mélasse de grenade n’est pas trouvable par là! tu n’aurai pas une idée sur la façon d’en préparer à la maison?merci!
On October 27, 2011 at 1:56 am
Joumana says:
@Kouky: Faire la mélasse a la maison n’est pas facile, parce qu’il faut cuire le jus de grenade jusqu’a ce qu’il devienne syrupeux en évitant de le caraméliser. Je l’ai fait une fois avec du jus de raisin. Au Liban, ce sont les grenades acides qui sont converties en mélasse. Bon, tu pourrais commencer par du jus de mélasse frais, disons 2 verres, une cuillère a soupe de jus de citron et un peu de sucre si tu veux; cuire lentement jusqu’a ce que le sirop devienne un peu épais.
On October 27, 2011 at 2:21 pm
kouky says:
merci chère Joumana pour ta gentil réponse ! je vais essayer de le faire, d’autant plus que les grenade acides se vendent moins cher! bonne soirée!
On October 27, 2011 at 4:28 pm
Cozette says:
Hi Joumana! I made this recipe to my husband he loved it!!! I also made other recipes like the stuffed artichoke and labneh crostini topped with fava beans, all of them are yummy!
On October 29, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Joumana says:
@Cozette: I am so happy, you made my day brighter, thank you! 🙂
On October 30, 2014 at 3:40 pm