Spiced Ground Beef and Grilled Japanese Eggplants with Maple Syrup Sauce

Name: Spiced Ground Beef and Grilled Japanese Eggplants with Maple Syrup Sauce
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H35M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H55M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 pounds lean ground beef; 1/2 onion, diced; 2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced; 3 tablespoons garlic powder; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 green chile, sliced (seeds removed for less heat); Juice of 1 lime; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Zest of 2 limes, peeled with a vegetable peeler; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup pure maple syrup; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; Kosher salt and 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; Salt and 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; 4 Japanese or baby Italian eggplants, quartered lengthwise; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Getting reviews...

I'm a Canadian citizen and I am always trying new ways to experiment with notably Canadian ingredients like maple syrup and make it interesting for someone who is looking to experiment with food cultures in their meals. Beef and eggplant is a very time-honored combination, but never quite like this.

Level: Intermediate

Total: 55 min
Active: 35 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Intermediate

Total: 55 min
Active: 35 min

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Spiced Ground Beef:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 onion, diced

2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 green chile, sliced (seeds removed for less heat)

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Maple Syrup Sauce:

Zest of 2 limes, peeled with a vegetable peeler

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Kosher salt and 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Salt and 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Grilled Japanese Eggplant:

4 Japanese or baby Italian eggplants, quartered lengthwise

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the spiced ground beef: Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up into pieces, until the moisture has evaporated and the beef is browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne, and stir to incorporate. Stir in the parsley, green chile, and lime juice. Remove the skillet from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
For the maple syrup sauce: Place the lime zest, garlic, salt, 2 tablespoons pepper, maple syrup, and vinegar in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl.
For the grilled eggplant: Heat a grill or large grill pan to medium heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant, turning occasionally, until tender on all sides, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish, add the warmed Maple Syrup Sauce, and toss to coat.
Serve with the spiced beef with the grilled eggplant.