Heirloom Eggplants Stuffed with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size heirloom eggplants
• 1/3 lb groundbeef (80/20 lean)
• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 2 tablespoon rice (short grain)
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste (1 tablespoon for stuffing; 1 tablespoon for cooking water)
• juice of 1/4 lemon
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• a pinch of salt
• blackpepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cut the tops and peel lengthwise the eggplants. Core each eggplant carefully without tearing the edges. Soak the eggplants in cold salty water for half an hour to get ride of their bitter taste and preserve their bright color.
   
2. Mixed the remaining ingredients, except olive oil and additional 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
3. Wash the eggplants in running cold water and stuff them the mixture.
4. Place the stuffed eggplants upright into a deep pot. Mix a tablespoon of tomato paste with a cup of hot water and olive oil and pour over the stuffed  eggplants. Fill the pot with additional hot water until it reaches to half way up the eggplants. Cook on medium heat. Just before turn off the heat, drizzle the lemon juice over the eggplants.
5. Arrange the stuffed eggplants on a serving plate and drizzle some of the cooking water over the eggplants. Serve warm.

Tags: stuffed, ground beef, eggplant