If you follow my blog at all, you probably know that I have a big ol’ crush on Melissa Joulwan from The Clothes Make the Girl and that she has a new cookbook out, Well Fed 2. I want you to know, I like other paleo bloggers and cookbook authors as well, but SHE HAS A NEW COOKBOOK!! and I absolutely must cook from it.

The other night I decided to put a bunch of her recipes together. The main attraction was her Semi Sabich, which is a mouth-watering combination of spiced and roasted eggplant, lamb, hard boiled egg, and crunchy cucumber slaw. I drizzled it with tahini sauce and gobbled it all up with her Casablanca Carrots. The whole thing came together in a creamy, crunchy, savory spiced, citrusy delight. I highly recommend you give it a try (use beef if you aren’t into lamb). And guess what? Mel sent me the recipes for Semi Sabich and Tahini Dressing! Lucky for us, we also have the picture by David Humphreys – the dish itself was a work of art and the picture lets you know it.

Semi Sabich

Eggplant:

1 large eggplant

salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

za’atar, to taste

Relish:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 large seedless cucumber, diced 1 medium tomato, diced

1⁄2 cup fresh parsley leaves, minced (about 2 tablespoons) 1⁄4 medium red onion, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Lamb:

1 pound ground lamb

1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)

2 tablespoons raisins

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried mint

1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Garnish:

Tahini dressing

sliced hard-boiled eggs

fresh mint leaves

hot pepper rings

toasted sesame seeds

pickles or cornichons

Directions

Sweat the eggplant. Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch thick slices. Sprinkle the slices aggressively with salt on both sides and place in a colander or sieve to sweat for 30 minutes.

Prep the relish. In a medium bowl, mix olive oil and lemon juice with a fork. Add cucumber, tomato, parsley, and red onion. Toss to combine, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Roast the eggplant. Preheat oven to 450F and cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel, then brush with coconut oil and sprinkle with za’atar. Bake for 20 minutes, until browned and beginning to crisp. Meanwhile…

Brown the lamb. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until browned, breaking up big chunks with a wooden spoon. Add the onion, garlic, and raisins. Cook until the onions are soft, 5-7 minutes. Toss in the cumin, oregano, mint, Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until fragrant.

Assemble! To serve, place eggplant slices on a plate and top with lamb, relish, and other optional garnishes. Drizzle with sauces.

Tahini Dressing

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons) 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.

Allow the flavors to meld about 10 minutes before eating. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.Tahini Dressing