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EGGPLANT AND LAMB CAKE WITH A GARLIC JUS
Serves: 4 to 6
For the lamb medallions:
12 lamb
chops from the rack
salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
For the lamb jus:
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
2
sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1
teaspoon ground cumin
10 coriander seeds
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1
cup dry white wine
For the vegetables:
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggplants, peeled, ends trimmed, and sliced lengthwise into
1/4-inch-wide strips
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large
tomatoes, cored, peeled, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cups white mushrooms,
caps only, sliced
1 cup onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 pounds
spinach leaves, stems removed, thoroughly washed, drained and blanched in
boiling water
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
For the lamb
medallions:
Bone and trim lamb chops. (reserve the trimmed bones for the
jus) Flatten medallions slightly on a cutting board using a mallet. Season with
salt and pepper.
Heat a large roasting pan on high heat on top of the stove
with olive oil. Brown lamb chops on each side, 2 minutes for rare, 3 to 4
minutes for medium, 5 to 7 minutes for well-done.
Remove the lamb and set
aside to cool.
For the lamb jus:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add
the reserved lamb bones to the roasting pan and roast in the oven for 45 to 40
minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, onions, cumin, and coriander seeds and roast
for another 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place the pan on the
stove. Add the tomato paste, stir well, add the white wine, and reduce over
high heat until all the moisture is evaporated. Add 1 cup water, simmer gently,
and reduce.
Strain over a small bowl and set the sauce aside. Discard the
sauce and herbs.
For the vegetables:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush
a baking pan with olive oil. Place the eggplant strips side by side in the pan.
Brush the top with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Bake the
eggplant in the oven until soft, lightly roasted and golden, about 20 minutes.
Finish cooking under the broiler if necessary. Remove the eggplants with a
spatula and set aside to cool. Use the same pan, brush with olive oil. Sprinkle
it with salt and pepper.
Arrange the tomato slices in the pan and roast
them in the oven for about 20 minutes or until baked and lightly dried. Heat
1/2 tablespoon of olive in a heavy skillet.
Sauté mushrooms over
high for 5 minutes. Add onions and cook for 5 more minutes. Season with salt
and pepper and transfer to a plate.
To assemble cake, line the bottom
of an 8-inch springform cake pan (or regular cake pan lined with parchment
paper) with the cooked slices of eggplants, placing the narrow end of the
eggplant in the center of the mold and the large end resting over the rim of
the mold.
Slightly overlap the next slice on the first one and continue
lining the pan with the remaining eggplant slices. Spread the mushroom mixture
over the eggplant. Place the baked tomatoes over the mushrooms. Flatten with a
spoon.
Place the lamb medallions over the tomatoes. Place the spinach over
the lamb. Press to flatten. Fold the large ends of eggplant slices over
spinach. Press down firmly with a spatula or a plate.
Heat the lamb in a
350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Heat the lamb jus. To serve: Invert the
eggplant cake on a round platter and unmold it. Serve the warm lamb jus on the
side. Cut cake into wedges around lamb medallions.
