Grilled za’atar rubbed eggplant with sauteed ground beef and blistered tomatoes with cilantro-cumin yogurt sauce (Serves 4) Paired with 2018 Gran Val Pinot Noir An original recipe by Chef Helen Goelet, one of six grandchildren of founder John Goelet. Helen fell head-over-heels in love with cooking when she was just 10 years old and uses her knowledge of wine to create complex and exciting food pairings to experience the possibilities present in each glass.
Ingredients For the eggplant • 1 lb ground beef (optional: substitute ground lamb) • 2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1 inch discs • 4 tbsp za’atar rub • ¼ cup pine nuts • 1 ½ tbsp ground cinnamon • ¼ tsp nutmeg • ¼ tsp allspice • ¼ tsp cumin • ¼ tsp coriander • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced • Salt and pepper • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 16oz can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
For the tomatoes • 20 ripe cherry tomatoes (optional: substitute roasted red peppers) • 1 sweet onion, cut into strips • 1 tbsp fresh thyme • Olive oil • Salt and pepper •
For the yogurt sauce • 2 cups full fat greek yogurt • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced • 1 lemon, juiced • ½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped • 1 tsp ground cumin • Pinch chili flakes • 1 tbsp olive oil • Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS Set your oven to broil. Spread the cut eggplant on a sheet pan and brush evenly with olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and za’atar seasoning. Broil the eggplant 3-4 minutes per side, until they begin to blacken but don’t burn. Turn the oven down to 350.
In a glass baking dish, spread the tomatoes, onion and thyme and evenly coat in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until the tomatoes begin to burst (roughly 15-20 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare the beef.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, carefully toast pine nuts until they begin to take color, but be careful not to burn, they go quickly! Set aside. Coat the pan in olive oil. Add beef and spices and brown the beef, carefully breaking it up to avoid large clumps. Add onion and garlic and continue to sautee for another 7 minutes. Add fire roasted tomatoes and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove tomatoes from the oven and evenly spread the eggplant overtop, then spoon the beef mixture over the eggplant. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a bowl. Season to taste. Serve drizzled over the eggplant dish.