The Fainting Imam

Sorry to have been gone this week I have suffered a series of health catastrophes which are now on the mend. Today is my first day back on the computer.

The garden is under frost and winter cold so I am forced to write about food and other things until early spring. Tonight we dine on an easy but rather unconventional version of The Fainting Imam, Imam Bialdi. The dish is using up the last of the summer greenhouse tomatoes wrapped and stored in the hall closet.

First I must apologise for the unconventional and culturally incorrect use of ground pork instead of lamb. It was what we had in the fridge. I think the Imam would have fainted if he saw this but as I said before, this is what we had.

Non PC Imam Bialdi

• 3 aubergines
• 750gms/ 1 1/4 lbs ground meat traditionally this would be lamb or textured soy protein
• 4 onions peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes in juice or the equivalent in chopped fresh tomatoes our dish used half and half
• 350gms, 1 1/2 cps pearl barley
• 875 ml/ 3 1/2 cps water
• olive oil
• 1 tbsp ground cumin seed
• 1 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 heaping tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground coriander seed
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika, if you want a bit of spice use Smoky Hot Spanish Paprika
• 6 tbsp pine nuts
• 2-3 heaping tbsp honey
• salt and pepper
• 8 sweet peppers for stuffing, any colour will do
• fresh coriander/cilantro and lemon wedges for garnish

Cut off the ends of the aubergines then slice them in half lengthwise. Deeply score the inside flesh, drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle them with salt. Bake the halves at 180C/ 350F for about 30-40 minutes or until very tender and mushy. Chop the aubergine and its skin into coarse sloppy chunks.

Saute the onions, pine nuts and garlic in olive oil using a large, deep, frying pan which has a tight fitting lid. Add the ground spices and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add the ground protein, continue cooking while breaking up the meat and mixing it with the onions, garlic and pine nuts. When the meat is browned add the chopped tomatoes, honey and aubergine. Continue to cook over a medium to low heat letting the excess liquid evaporate and the tomatoes and aubergines melt into the meat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Now add the pearl barley and the water and cover the pan with its lid. Lower the heat and let it cook until the water is absorbed and the barley is tender. Check it during cooking and if necessary add more water for the barley to absorb.

Hollow out your sweet peppers. Stuff each firmly with the meat mixture. Bake at 180C/ 350F until the pepper is tender, about 30-45 minutes. Serve with sprigs of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves and lemon wedges.

Related articles

• Stuffed Sicilian Aubergine (cookinginsens.wordpress.com)
• Fried aubergines and tomatoes – şakşuka (greenandginger.wordpress.com)
• Sweet and sour stuffed aubergines (easilyfoodrecipes.wordpress.com)

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