Slice the eggplants 3/8-inch thick, sprinkle with salt and allow to drain for 20 to 25 minutes. Rinse the slices and pat them dry. SautÄ the eggplant slices in oil until they are browned but not necessarily cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Take the best looking slices and overlap them in the bottom of a mold like a rose. Let the long slices go up the sides of the mold. SautÄ the onions and garlic in a tablespoon oil with a teaspoon of thyme leaves and a bay leaf. Add the ground lamb and brown it with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and cool. Add the egg,
the coriander. Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a layer of the meat, in the mold, then a layer of eggplant, repeating the layers until they reach the top of the mold. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Take out of the oven and stand for a few minutes. Spoon off any oil that surfaces and then unmold. Serve as is, or garnished with a tomato sauce enriched with a pinch of cayenne.
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6 large eggplants
1 3/4 lbs ground shoulder lamb
4 onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
thyme, bay leaf
1 tsp fresh coriander, chopped or 12 coriander seeds, crushed
