Vegetable ratatouille and lamb filled miniature aubergines

Serving size: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:

12 baby aubergines
100g small, diced shoulder of lamb meat
1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green pepper – small, diced
1 small red onion – diced
1 celery heart – small, diced
1 large bunch of fresh tarragon – chopped
4 cloves of smoked garlic
100ml olive oil
2 large fresh tomatoes – deseeded and diced
Sprig of fresh thyme
Pinch of ground cloves
100ml dry sherry
500g fresh cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon of sugar
200ml vegetable stock
50ml cider vinegar
Salt and ground black pepper to taste


Featured in:
February 2013

Method:
Place the oil in a deep based pan. Add the diced onion and peppers and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the seasoned lamb and cook for further 5 minutes, then add the fresh thyme and pinch of cloves and cook for 2 minutes. Drain off the cooking fat and wet with the sherry and cook for 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes adding a little stock if necessary.

Discard the thyme and cut the tops off the aubergines. With the help of a small teaspoon, take most of the flesh from the centre, add the chopped aubergine flesh and cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chopped tarragon. Fill the 12 aubergines with the mixture and then place in a baking tray and bake at 160 C for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the smoked garlic and place in a pan with the cooking fat from the lamb. Cook on low for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes previously cut in half and cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetable stock and cook for 20 minutes until reduced by two thirds. Season if necessary and blend to a purée. Strain in a fine mesh sieve and serve with the aubergines.



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Grantham school joins Carol Service in celebration of town’s hospitalPupils from St Mary’s Catholic Voluntary Academy are taking part in the first Carol Service to celebrate the special relationship Grantham and District Hospital has with the town and surrounding communities.The school children will join in the singing of favourite Christmas Carols as well as perform their own set musical piece at the Carol Service on Thursday 11th December at 7pm, in St Wulfram’s church, Grantham.Deputy Head Teacher Olivia Mumford said: “The Carol Service is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to share the joy of music while showing appreciation for the incredible work done at Grantham and District Hospital. It’s a privilege to support such an important event in our town."The Carol Service has been organised by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity, who work closely with staff at Grantham and District Hospital and provides those extras for staff and patients that NHS budgets are unable to fund. Further details on the Grantham NHS Carol Service can be found by visiting www.ulhcharity.org.uk/news/christmas-carols-at-grantham-st-wulfram-church-in-thanks-for-towns-sup... ... See MoreSee Less