#SundaySupper: Bademjan Shekam-por {Stuff, Roll, Wrap}

It's #SundaySupper time again. And this round we are stuffing, rolling, and wrapping. What a fun theme! I considered stuffing grape leaves, tomatoes, peppers, and even apples. But in the end, I wanted to make something with eggplants. 

A couple of years ago, I hosted an eggplant dinner for two friends' birthday celebration; I called it 'Ode to an Aubergine.'

Little back story: one of our friends claimed to not like eggplant. I took the challenge to come up with an entire dinner menu made with eggplant...from Eggplant Boats to Creamy Eggplant Soup and Braised Lamb Over Eggplant Puree to dessert. Yes! Even dessert. I made an Italian dessert - Melanzane al Cioccolato - with eggplant and chocolate. And, of course, I ordered eggplant hats for everyone.

The dinner was a wild success and the eggplant-averse friend declared, to my delight, Okay, I like eggplant now!

So, for this edition of #SundaySupper - Stuff, Roll, Wrap - I decided to do my own version of Bademjan shekam-por, Persian stuffed eggplants. Traditionally, it's fried eggplant that's stuffed with ground beef simmered in a tomato sauce and topped with slivered almonds. I opted to bake my eggplant and topped it with feta cheese instead of almonds. I also added lots of fresh herbs. So tasty!

Bademjan Shekam-por

Persian Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients serves 4

• 2 Chinese eggplants*
• olive oil
• 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
• 1 green garlic, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 C green beans, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
• 1/2 C tomato sauce
• 1/2 t ground turmeric
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t ground coriander
• 1 t ground paprika
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper
• juice of one Meyer lemon
• 1 T fresh chopped dill
• 1 T fresh chopped basil
• 1 T fresh chopped mint
• 1/2 C feta, cut into cubes

*the only eggplants I could find were long - over a foot long! If you can find shorter ones, you might need 4.

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse and dry your eggplants. Lay them on top of foil and drizzle them with olive oil. Fold them into the foil so that they are completely enclosed. Place the foil packets on a baking sheet. Roast for 50-60 minutes.

In the meantime, make your meat filling. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Saute the green garlic and leeks in the oil until they are softened and begging to turn translucent. Add in the ground beef and brown until cooked through. Stir in the green beans and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Pour in the tomato sauce and add in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and paprika. Cook until the sauce thickens. Squeeze in the lemon juice and fold in the fresh herbs.

Open the eggplant packets, leaving them on the foil, and slice them lengthwise. Mash the eggplant slightly, pressing the meat away from the skin slightly. Spoon the meat filling into the eggplant. Top them with the feta cheese and return them to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve stuffed eggplants with rice or with warm flatbread and plain yogurt.

Here's what the rest of the #SundaySupper brought to the party...

HTML: Starters and Snacks

• Easy Apple Dumplings by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Endive Stuffed with Blue Cheese, Walnuts and Honey by Shockingly Delicious
• Filipino Turon (Banana Lumpia) by Killer Bunnies, Inc
• Arepas de Queso (cheese stuffed cornmeal cakes) by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
• Chicken Tinga Taquitos with Avocado Cream by Savvy Eats
• Eggy Rice Wraps by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Puff Pastry and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Onigiri by Brunch With Joy
• Stuffed Pierogie Shells by Seduction in The Kitchen
• Scotch Eggs with Sriracha Dipping Sauce by Run DMT
• Celery Root Lettuce Wraps with Beluga Lentils by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Entrees and Mains

• Rouladen by The Not So Cheesy Kitchen
• Stracci di Antrodoco by Manu's Menu
• Eggplant Rollatini by MealDiva
• Chicken Cordon Blue by The Foodie Army Wife
• Stuffed Whole Baby Savoy Cabbages by Food Lust People Love
• Chicken Taco Egg Rolls by Table for Seven
• Shrimp Tempura Rolls by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Lemon and Herbed Stuffed Salmon by Nosh My Way
• Tamales de Rajas y Requeson (Roasted Poblano Tamales) by La Cocina de Leslie
• Bademjan Shekam-por - Persian Stuffed Eggplant by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Mascarpone Blueberry Stuffed French Toast by gotta get baked
• Korean-style Meaty Stuffed Potatoes by kimchi MOM
• Strawberries and Cream Pancake Roll by Curious Cuisiniere
• Creamy Goat Cheese Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Rolled Greek Meatloaf by Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Shrimp Burritos Con Queso by Cooking On The Ranch
• Bee-Bim Bop Sushi Rolls by NinjaBaking.com
• Angel Hair Shrimp Lettuce Wraps by Family Foodie
• Genoa Salami and Kalamata Olive Calzones by The Texan New Yorker
• Zucchini Boats by Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Girl's Camp Breakfast Burritos by Hot Momma's Kitchen Chaos
• Crab Louie Stuffed Chicken by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Rustic "Wrapped" Tart with Ramps by Delaware Girl Eats
• Potato Roll Stuffed with Ham and Cheese in Red Sauce by Basic N Delicious
• Ham, Turkey and Cheddar Turnovers by Magnolia Days
• Crispy Chipotle Shrimp Burritos by Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
• Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breasts by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Pizza Pockets by girlichef
• Ham and Cheese Crescent "Roll" Stromboli by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Beef Wellington Braciole by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Greek Salad Wrap by The Messy Baker
• Cabbage Venison Lettuce Wraps With Fresh Herbs by Sue's Nutrition Buzz

All things Sweet

• Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls by Chocolate Moosey
• Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach by Desserts Required
• Chocolate Cake Roll by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cannoli Stuffed French Toast by Momma's Meals
• Lemon Poppyseed Swirl Cookies by What Smells So Good
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Egg Rolls by Melanie Makes
• Raspberry and Lemon Curd Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by La Bella Vita Cucina
• Chocolate Chip Banana Sweet Rolls by Big Bear's Wife
• Orange Chocolate Swiss Roll by Noshing With The Nolands
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies by Alida's Kitchen
• Flourless Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies by Pies and Plots

All things Sweet

• Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls by Chocolate Moose
• Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach by Desserts Required
• Chocolate Cake Roll by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cannoli Stuffed French Toast by Momma's Meals
• Lemon Poppyseed Swirl Cookies by What Smells So Good
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Egg Rolls by Melanie Makes
• Raspberry and Mascarpone Stuffed French Toast by La Bella Vita Cucina
• Chocolate Chip Banana Sweet Rolls by Big Bear's Wife
• Orange Chocolate Swiss Roll by Noshing With The Nolands
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Cookies by Alida's Kitchen
• Flourless Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies by Pies and Plots
• Sopapilla Cheesecake Puffs by The Weekend Gourmet

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