Lamb in the oven and baked eggplant tartlets with mozzarella
Since we have a lot of free time on our hands and free reign to cook our favorite dishes during this time of #stayhome, and especially since we are on the eve of Easter Holidays, we have come up with a few crazily delicious recommendations for you. Petru Chicu, our master chef, has prepared a number of recipes, and a few tips on how to pair these dishes with Château Vartely wines.
We bring to the attention of true connoisseurs of traditional cuisine a delicious recipe – lamb in the oven with baked eggplant tartlets. Tender flavored, seasoned, and with a splash of garlic, this traditional recipe will delight the taste buds of any culinary afficionado. As a side dish, the baked eggplant compliments the lamb meat and adds flavor to the meal.
After the lamb and vegetables are cooked and beautifully arranged on plates, we advise you to pair this cuisine delight with a glass of dry red wine, Taraboste Pinot Noir from Château Vartely – a wine which highlights notes of cherry and wild berries, balmy herbs, vanilla and cacao. All these gustatory elements combine into a delicate and pleasant ensemble.
Preparation time: 120 min | Servings: 4 persons
INGREDIENTS:
- Tender lamb leg 2,5 kg
- Red onions 180 g
- Fresh tomatoes 180 g
- Garlic 20 g
- Olive oil 50 ml
- Salt and piper to taste
- Eggplants 2 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes 200 g
- Mozzarella pearls 150 g
- Fresh basil – 2 twigs
- Olive oil 50 ml
- Salt and piper to taste
PREPARATION:
Step 1: Prepare the lamb and the marinade. In a bowl, grate the red onions, tomatoes, garlic, then add olive oil, salt, piper to taste and mix well.
Step 2: Wash and dry well the lamb legs, then cut them into bigger or smaller portions as you may wish.
Step 3: Cover the portions of lamb meat in marinade and place them on a baking pan. Pour the remaining marinade on top of it.
Step 4: Place the lamb meat in the pre-heated oven, at 180 degrees Celsius, and leave it to bake for 90 minutes or so.
In the meantime, as the lamb is getting cooked, prepare the eggplants.
Step 5: Thoroughly wash and dry the eggplants, then cut them in half, add some olive oil, then put them on the baking pan.
Step 6: Cut the cherry tomatoes and the mozzarella pearls into fours, crush the basil and mix it with the rest of ingredients in the bowl. Add salt and piper to taste, olive oil and mix again. Put the mixture on the eggplants.
Step 7: Place the stuffed eggplants in the pre-heated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 30 minutes. Use a separate or the same pan in which the lamb is cooked if there is enough space.
Good appetite!
