Roasted Eggplant Boats with Spiced Beef and Goat Cheese with Sautéed Garlic Spinach

• 2 whole large eggplants⇄
• 40 ml extra virgin olive oil⇄
• 4 g salt⇄
• 2 g black pepper⇄

Preheat oven to 200°C; halve eggplants lengthwise and score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern without cutting through the skin; brush generously with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cut-side down on a baking sheet; roast for 25 minutes until flesh is completely soft and golden.

💡 Scoring the flesh allows the oil to penetrate deeply, ensuring even cooking with no raw spots in the center.

• 400 g ground beef⇄
• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil⇄
• 80 g onion, diced⇄
• 80 g red bell pepper, diced⇄
• 10 g garlic, minced⇄
• 3 g ground cumin⇄
• 3 g dried oregano⇄
• 2 g ground cinnamon⇄
• 30 g tomato paste⇄
• 200 g diced tomatoes (canned)⇄
• 30 g walnuts, roughly chopped⇄
• 4 g salt⇄
• 2 g black pepper⇄

While eggplants roast, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook ground beef for 5 minutes until well browned, breaking it apart with a spoon; add diced onion, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and tomato paste; cook 4 more minutes, stirring frequently; add diced tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes until mixture is thick; season with salt and pepper, then stir in chopped walnuts.

💡 A whisper of cinnamon adds a traditional Mediterranean warmth without sweetness—don’t overdo it.

• 80 g goat cheese, crumbled⇄
• 10 g fresh oregano, for garnish⇄

Remove eggplants from oven and flip cut-side up; gently press the center flesh down with a spoon to create a shallow well; pile the spiced beef filling generously into each half, top with crumbled goat cheese, and return to the oven at 200°C for 10 minutes until cheese softens and begins to turn golden.

💡 Don’t scoop out the flesh—pressing it down keeps the boat sturdy while adding to the texture.

• 400 g fresh spinach⇄
• 15 ml extra virgin olive oil⇄
• 10 g garlic, minced⇄
• 2 g salt⇄
• 1 g black pepper⇄

While eggplants finish baking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned; add fresh spinach in handfuls, stirring for 3-4 minutes until wilted and bright green; season with salt and pepper.

💡 Add spinach gradually to avoid overcrowding the pan, which helps it wilt evenly without becoming soggy.