Eggplant dog
November 17, 2010 • Category: Sandwiches
My best wishes on this Eid Al-Adha celebration.
I got some lovely little eggplants and stared at them for a while; I did not feel like stuffing them with meat and rice like my ancestors had been doing for hundreds of years.
That’s when I decided to make eggplant dogs, using Lebanese lamb sausages called makanek.
Makanek are small and very dark lamb sausages; they are spicy yet not hot; served piping hot as part of a mezze, with lemon quarters to squeeze on top. Middle-Eastern stores carry them either fresh (better) or frozen.
Of course, any small sausages can be substituted here.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound of small sausages
- 1 1/2 pounds of smallish eggplants, peeled and salted
- 1 onion
- 4 large tomatoes (or a can of diced tomatoes)
- olive oil, as needed
- 3 garlic cloves, mashed with a dash of salt
- 2 lemons, quartered
METHOD:
- Heat a little olive oil and fry the eggplants (or roast them), making sure they don’t get burned; they need to get soft. Remove the eggplants, fry the onion, add the tomatoes and chopped garlic.
- Place the eggplants back in the pot on top of the onion and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the eggplants are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Fry the sausages and blot extra fat on paper towels. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top of the sausages.
- To form the eggplant dog: Split open a bun, slather one side with the tomatoes and onion. Slit the flesh of the eggplant with a sharp knife. Insert the sausage. Place the eggplant on the bun, serve.
Comments
30 Comments • Comments Feed
Amanda says:
Inspired idea, Joumana – and this is how dishes evolve, isn’t it?!
On November 17, 2010 at 8:44 pm
john@heneedsfood says:
I love it! Those sausages sound delicious
On November 17, 2010 at 11:54 pm
SYLVIA says:
Joumana, although this dish is foreign to me, yet It has a charming unique character. The eggplant is flaunting its festive color and flavors of the Mediterranean. This is terrific nibble for modern parties.
On November 18, 2010 at 1:37 am
turkey's for life says:
Those sausages look delicious. There isn’t anything like that in this area of Turkey – I’m feeling the need to start heading east in search of more spicy food! 🙂
Eggplant dog – great idea – when we find some sausages!
On November 18, 2010 at 4:29 am
Priya says:
Very interesting hot dog, thanks for sharing..
On November 18, 2010 at 4:57 am
Amy @ cookbookmaniac says:
I have a new found love for eggplant. I use to hate them as a child but since I was introduced to a beautifully made babaghanouj by a friend I haven’t said “No” to eggplant since.
On November 18, 2010 at 5:09 am
MyLittleExpatKitchen says:
Joumana, you keep surprising me with your recipes. This is so much fun!
Magda
On November 18, 2010 at 6:22 am
Nuts about food says:
I would eat those this minute. Lamb sausage is probably out of the question here, since I already have trouble finding minced lamb meat…
On November 18, 2010 at 6:33 am
Caffettiera says:
This is exactly the recipe I have been looking for. Last week end we made hamburger at home with home made bread, and they were so good, gourmet good indeed, that we started to wonder whether we could make hot dogs at home that were equally good. But we were all skeptical about a home made German sausage… This looks like the perfect gourmet substitution. I will give it a try for sure next time I go to Italy, where I find great sausages and great eggplants. Thanks!
On November 18, 2010 at 6:54 am
Doc says:
I love these dogs!! Awesome idea. I see many uses in the future….
On November 18, 2010 at 10:42 am
Damaris @Kitchen Cor says:
This is so much better than a regular hot dog, it doesn’t even compare. Eggplants rule!
On November 18, 2010 at 11:00 am
anncoo says:
This is new to me 🙂 Never thought of adding sausage and eggplants together. Sounds so delicious 🙂
On November 18, 2010 at 11:16 am
Mary says:
I live in an area where lamb is readily available. I’ll be able to put this wonderful recipe to good use. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
On November 18, 2010 at 11:22 am
Nadji says:
Une vraie gourmandise. J’aime beaucoup.
A bientôt.
On November 18, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Lyndsey says:
Yummy! What a good way to eat eggplant! Sometimes you just don’t want to stuff them!
On November 18, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Chiara says:
Awesome idea Joumana ! Sounds so tasty! Thanks for sharing,a hug
On November 18, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Joanne says:
I love the way you think! i don’t like hot dogs but I do LOVE sausage and this sounds like such a great way to prepare them.
On November 18, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Faith says:
This looks like a really tasty way to eat eggplant! I love the tomato/onion mixture you served it with too!
On November 18, 2010 at 3:56 pm
deana says:
Joumana, this is my idea of heaven… I must find these sausages and make some lovely bread to stuff them in… how exotic and delicious they must be!
On November 18, 2010 at 5:27 pm
zerrin says:
Great idea! I love those baby eggplants, they are so cute! And your eggplant dog sounds fantastic! you made me curious about that spicy lamb sausage.
On November 18, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Claudia says:
How I wish I saw this one month ago when baby eggplants still existed in my world. I could probably find some lamb sausage – the combination is a perfect marriage. This will stick with me until I make it…
On November 18, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Tom @ Tall Clover says:
Good bye Oscar Meyer and Nathan’s, Hello Makanek!
I so want one of these now, but will have to begin my search tomorrow, when the stores are open!
Thank you Joumana,
Tom
On November 18, 2010 at 11:38 pm
Adelina says:
These looks soooo good. Never seen anything like it. I love it!
On November 19, 2010 at 1:43 am
Zara says:
Omg, I adore eggplants and this idea sounds wonderful, thank you Joumana! I will try it making with some other kind of sausages available in my place:)
On November 19, 2010 at 1:02 pm
Joan Nova says:
Love it! Sort of like the Italian sausage + peppers sandwich.
On November 19, 2010 at 8:27 pm
grace says:
this makes our ballpark franks look puny and bland. good work, joumana!
On November 20, 2010 at 10:27 am
Conor @ HoldtheBeef says:
I love it! Not a big fan of hotdogs but I’d be asking for seconds of these. I wonder if your ancestors will now make these for hundreds of years?
On November 21, 2010 at 6:20 am
joudie kalla says:
Joumana this is such a wonderful way to make use of the eggplants. i am totally loving it! Yumm!
On November 21, 2010 at 5:50 pm
Kathy says:
I made this today with American hot dogs and it was a hit with all family members!
On August 16, 2023 at 1:00 am
Joumana Accad says:
@Kathy so happy to hear!
On September 20, 2023 at 1:52 am