ALI NAZIK ( Minced meat with yogurt and aubergine puree )

INGREDIENTS

• 4 small or 2 large aubergines
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 250 gr lean lamb or steak mince
• 1-2 tsp oil
• 1  onion, diced
• Half a red pepper, diced finely
• 1 small chilli pepper ( optional ), diced finely
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• little salt
• 4 heaped tbsp thick natural yogurt
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• salt and pepper

METHOD

1) First wash the aubergines and smoke them on the gas flame on top of the stove until the skin is charred on all sides and the flesh is soft. Turn them from time to time until charred all over. You can do this under the grill or in the oven if you haven't got gas hob. When they are done set aside for a few minutes to cool.

2) Then hold each aubergine and peel of the charred skin under running water. Squeeze the flesh and place them on a chopping board. Chop the aubergines to a pulp and discard the stalk. Place all the aubergine pulp in a bowl.Mix with the lemon juice and oil. Set aside.

3) Stir fry the mince with onion  in oil until browned. Add the chili, red pepper, tomato paste and water to cover the mince. Bring it to boil. Turn the heat to low and cook the mince for 10-15 minutes. Add the parsley and salt and set aside with the lid on to keep it  warm.

4) Mix yogurt with crushed garlic and salt. Add the aubergine pulp to the yogurt mixture and heat in a frying pan gently to warm it. Do not boil. Add seasoning to taste.

5) Transfer the yogurt and aubergine mixture to the serving plate. Heat up the mince if need, then place it on top of the aubergine and yogurt dressing. Drizzle some of the juices from the meat over the yogurt and and aubergine bed and  serve it strength away. This serves 2.

GOURMET BURGERS WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES( kuru domatesli burger)

YOU NEED

• 250 g lean steak mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 2 chillies, medium hot
• 6 sun dried tomatoes
• 1 tbsp goats cheese
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• pinch of cumin powder
• salt.

1) Place onion, garlic, ginger and chillies in a food processor and pulse it couple of times. 

2) Add mince tomatoes,mince, cheese, parsley, salt and cumin powder and mix to  bind.

3) Take the burger mixture out of the processor and form into 2 large burgers.

4) Cook the burgers under hot grill or in a non stick pan until the both sides are browned and cooked to your taste.

5) Serve with salad, pitta bread or buns. 

NOT: I served mine with carrot, red cabbage, white turnip, celery, curly kale and parsley salad with lemon and olive oil dressing.

 Sun dried tomatoes in oil, in a jar  will be fine to use for this dish.

Makes 2 large or 4 small burgers.