Aubergine Laban with Italian Turkey Meatballs

I found an Aubergine / Eggplant in the veggie drawer of my fridge and bought some turkey breast yesterday. It took me some time to come up with a recipe, where both ingredients are used to their best.

Aubergine Laban with Turkey Meatballs

I made a Laban a while ago and thought it quiet delicious. The combination of aubergine and Tahini paste with lots of fresh herbs is so good. Most recipes how ever want the aubergine roasted in  olive oil before made into that paste. I have tried that method once and for me it was to oily. So I placed the whole aubergine in the oven at 200 C for 40 minutes, just gave it some pricks with a toothpick before.

The soft flesh has to cool down, then gets scraped out and mixed with the other ingredients. That way you get a healthier choice of Laban.

The turkey breast gets cut into pieces and in a blender made into mince meat. I make it Italian style, the flavours go great with the Laban.

recipe for the Laban:
1 aubergine
1 lime
80 g Greek yogurt
30 g Tahini paste
2 cloves roasted garlic
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1 pinch of Cayenne and salt and pepper
2 stalks fresh parsley
1 stalk fresh dill
1tsp olive oil

Ingredients for the Laban

Preheat the oven 200 C, wash and dry the aubergine and prick some holes into it with a toothpick. Bake it for 40 minutes and let it cool down so you can handle it. Scoop out the flesh and put it in a blender with all the other ingredients and give it a good blitz until you have a smooth paste. You may need some more lime juice to season it.

recipe for the meatballs:
300 g Turkey breast
30 g bread crumbs seasoned with smoked paprika, Italian herbs, BBQ butter herbs
1 egg
1/2 onion
2 cloves of garlic
fresh rosemary, oregano, parsley and basil
2 dried tomatoes in oil

Ingredients for the Meatballs

2 tbsp rape seed oil
60 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp paprika paste or tomato paste
60 ml double cream

Cut the Turkey into strips and use a powerful blender. Start to make mince meat and add the onion and garlic and fresh herbs. Get the paste out and add the bread crumbs and the egg and the cut up dried tomato. Mix it well and store it in the fridge for minimum 30 minutes.
Take two tablespoons and form quenelles. Bake them in some rapeseed oil, add the chicken stock and the paprika paste, let the cook until finished inside and add the cream.

Use 2 Tablespoons

Serve with the Laban and some rice.