Recipe for Eggplant Charlotte with Lamb

Wash and dry the eggplants, remove the stem and slice them lengthwise into pieces 5 mm to 1 cm thick using a good knife (a mandoline would make slices that are too thin and fragile).

Heat a little oil in two large pans and gently cook the slices of eggplant: first sauté them, then cover them so they cook while losing some of their moisture without requiring too much oil. Repeat this process about 3 times (5 to 8 minutes each). Set aside on paper towels.

Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a skillet, add the onion and garlic to brown before adding the ground meat. Stir it around, season with salt and pepper, add oregano (or other herbs), and remove from heat after 3 to 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200° and place a dish filled two-thirds with water in it, where the mold will fit. Place a tomato cut in half width-wise in the center of the mold (lined with parchment paper for safety), with the pulp side against the bottom. Line the bottom and the sides of the mold with overlapping slices of eggplant, like petals.

Fill with the ground meat, pressing down, and cover with the remaining eggplants.

Bake at 180-200° by placing the mold in the dish containing hot water. Let it cook for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the cherry tomatoes in a small saucepan with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper, and cook over medium heat for about ten minutes, mashing them as they cook. Add the chopped basil at the end.

To finish, unmold the eggplant cake onto a plate and serve with couscous or rice and the tomatoes in a sauceboat.