Middle Eastern meatballs with smoky aubergine puree and minted yogurt

Method

1. First prepare the aubergine puree. Pierce the aubergine in a few places with the point of a knife, then directly place it over a flame until the skin is thoroughly blackened and blistered and the flesh feels soft, around 10 minutes. Set aside to cool

2. Mash the garlic to a paste with a good pinch of salt and with the blade of a flat knife. When the aubergine has cooled enough to handle, peel off the charred skin and squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the flesh.

3. Work the aubergine to a puree either in a blender, food processor or by chopping it or mashing it with a potato masher.

4. Beat in the garlic paste, lemon juice and yoghurt a little at a time. Season with cayenne pepper and set aside.

5. Make the minted yogurt by stirring the chopped mint into the yogurt.

6. To make the meatballs, mix together the mince, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, allspice, salt and cayenne. Work until soft and paste-like with your hands. With wet hands divide the mixture into 24 pieces and roll into walnut sized balls.

7. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the meatballs in small batches for about 5 mins, turning often so they are crisp and browned all over, but still moist and juicy inside.

8. Drain well on kitchen paper and keep warm until all the meatballs have been fried.

9. Serve the meatballs hot with a few spoonfuls of minted yogurt, smoked aubergine puree, a simple green salad and warm flat bread.

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Ingredients

500g lean minced lamb
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled crushed
a handful of Coriander, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
2 tsp Salt
a pinch of cayenne
50g Pine kernels, chopped
Olive oil, for frying
green salad, to serve
warm flat bread (such as pitta), to serve

For the smoky aubergine puree:

1 aubergine
1 garlic clove, peeled
a pinch of salt
juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp thick creamy yogurt
2 tbsp Olive oil
a pinch of cayenne pepper

For the minted yogurt:

a handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
120ml thick creamy yogurt

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