Mediterranean Aubergine and Cauliflower Rolls

Rachel Dbeis

Beit Mery is a village 20 mins East of Beirut, nestled on the popular Matn hills of Lebanon, overlooking the Mediterranean. That’s where my childhood memories formed, over colorful and abundant food.

When I think of Lebanese dishes, I often think of the creative possibilities that reside within the raw ingredients of each meal. Every recipe is an old memory overlooking the water just like every dish is a story yet to unfold. This relationship with Lebanese food informs the creative process behind my recipes and the fusion of middle eastern flavors and western ingredients.

Ingredients

• For the Aubergines:
• 1-2 aubergines, cut longitudinally into thin slices
• Salt (to taste; 1-2 tsp)
• Olive oil to brush the aubergine slices

For the stuffing:

• 1 cauliflower head blended into very fine pieces (or two cups of cauliflower rice)
• 1/2 mm cup of chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup of chopped mint
• 1/3 cup toasted almond flakes
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 shallot chopped finely
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 tsp vinegar (white wine or red wine)

For the tahini sauce:

• 1/2 cup of tahini
• 1 garlic clove pressed
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup cold water

The Recipe

Brush each aubergine slice with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt. On medium heat, grill each side in a frying pan until tender and golden. You can also use a grill. When tender and brown, remove the slices from the heat and let them rest on a kitchen roll to drain any excess oil. Add 1 tsp of olive oil to the pan and sauté the cauliflower rice for a few minutes (5-7mins). When soft, transfer the sautéed cauliflower rice into a bowl. Once the cauliflower rice cools down to room temperature, add the parsley, onions, almonds, mint, garlic, vinegar and the remainder of olive oil and mix everything together.

To make the aubergine rolls, place 1-2 tbsps of the cauliflower mixture at the wide end of the aubergine slices, and roll it up from the wide to the narrow end. Repeat until you’ve used up all the slices.

For the sauce, mix the tahini with the garlic, salt and lemon juice. Mix it all up and add the water gradually as you continuously whisk, until the mixture is smooth and has the consistency of double cream. The colour of the tahini will lighten. Depending on your tahini brand you may need less than 1/2 cup of water or a little bit more.

Drizzle the tahini sauce over the stuffed aubergines, decorating it with chopped herbs and toasted pine nuts.

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Rachel Dbeis is a medical doctor, writer, and literary translator from Beirut. She currently lives in Exeter, where she runs The Lesbanese Cook, a website and podcast about the role of food and sexuality in Middle Eastern culture.