Difficulty: Medium

Preparation time: 2H 18 mins 
For 4 persons

Ingredients:

For the Meatballs:

• 2 eggplants  
• 600g minced lamb meat 
• 150g grated parmesan cheese 
• 2 sprigs of minced coriander 
• 2 sprigs of minced mint 
• 2 sprigs of minced flat-leaf parsley 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• Olive oil
• Salt, pepper 
  

For the Side dish:

• 500g freekeh
• 20g butter 
• 1L chicken broth 
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 head of fresh fennel 
• 1 bunch of spring onions 
• 2 sprigs of coriander 
• 1 pomegranate 
• Pomegranate molasses
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (th. 6), then cook the whole eggplants for 1 hour. 
2. Extract the flesh and put it to dry out in a saucepan like choux pastry. 
3. Let cool, then add the lamb meat, grated parmesan, garlic, parsley, coriander and mint. Mix well. Salt and pepper. 
4. Form balls between your hands. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and brown the meatballs on all sides for 8 mins. 
5. Rinse the freekeh and drain it. Put the olive oil and butter in a saucepan and heat. Once the butter is melted, add the freekeh and stir. Brown it for 5 mins over medium heat to roast it. 
6. Pour in the broth. Once boiling, reduce the heat and cook over low heat for 25 mins or until the liquid evaporates. Reserve in a salad bowl. 
7. Cut the sweet potato flesh into 1cm cubes and coat them with olive oil, then spread them on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Bake for 15 mins at 190°C (th. 6-7). Reserve. 
8. Cut the fennel into mirepoix and set aside. Chop the spring onion and chop the coriander, deseed the pomegranate. 
9. In the salad bowl, put the freekeh, fennel, onions, sweet potato, coriander and pomegranate seeds. Season with 3 tablespoons olive oil and 2 dashes of pomegranate molasses. Serve warm or cold with the lamb meatballs.  

Serve!

Recipe by: Chef Jean-Paul Duquenoy for Terroirs du Liban