Protein Swap | North African Pork Meatball & Eggplant Mezze
with Mint Mayo & Zesty Bulgur
Cooking time
25 minutes
Servings
2/4
Calories
790 /serving
Ras el hanout—a pungent blend of warm, earthy, floral spices—means top shelf in Arabic. It infuses pan-browned pork meatballs that join discs of roasted eggplant for a marvellous mezze. Give it all a drizzle of spiced mayo with lemon and mint.
We will send you:
- 250g Canadian-raised lean ground pork
- 1 Lemon
- 120g Baby greens (lettuce mix, baby spinach, kale or arugula)
- 1 Eggplant
- 14g Mint
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 20g Panko
- 80g Bulgur
- 60ml Mayonnaise
- 8g Red Ras el Hanout (paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, fennel seeds, nutmeg, dill seeds, allspice, caraway, galangal, cloves, mace, rose petals, lavender, bay leaves, saffron)
Contains: Eggs • Sulphites • Wheat
You will need:
Large pan
Medium pot
Oil
Parchment paper
Salt & pepper (S&P)
Sheet pan
Zester
1 or 2 Eggs
Total Fat
50 g
Saturated Fat
9 g
Sodium
410 mg
Total Carb
54 g
Sugars
5 g
Protein
36 g
Fibre
14 g
Preparation
Roast the eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Cut the eggplant crosswise into ½ inch pieces.
- On a lined sheet pan, toss with a drizzle of oil and S&P.
- Roast, flipping halfway, 18 to 20 min., until tender.
Prepare & cook the meatballs
- Meanwhile, zest and quarter the lemon.
- Mince the garlic.
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, panko, ½ the lemon zest, ½ the garlic, 1 egg (double for 4 portions), ½ the red ras el hanout and S&P.
- Form into 8 meatballs (double for 4 portions).
- In a large pan, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high.
- Add the meatballs* and cook, partially covered, turning occasionally, 9 to 11 min., until browned and cooked through.
Cook the bulgur
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the spinach.
- In a medium pot, heat a drizzle of oil on medium-high.
- Add the remaining garlic and sauté, 30 sec. to 1 min., until fragrant.
- Add the bulgur, ¾ cup water (double for 4 portions) and a big pinch of salt; bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, cover and simmer, 6 to 8 min., until the bulgur is tender and the water has been absorbed.
- Add the spinach and remaining lemon zest. Fluff the bulgur.
Make the spiced mayo
- Meanwhile, pick the mint leaves off the stems; roughly chop the leaves.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, 1 tbsp water (double for 4 portions), the juice of ½ the lemon wedges, ½ the mint and the remaining red ras el hanout.
Plate your dish
- Divide the bulgur between your plates.
- Top with the meatballs and eggplant.
- Drizzle with the spiced mayo.
- Garnish with the remaining mint and lemon wedges. Bon appétit!
*Health Canada recommends cooking ground pork to a minimum internal temperature of 71°C.
