Here’s another way of giving leftover lamb new life. I’d always thought that this sumptuous Middle Eastern dish that envelops lamb in eggplant was quite a production, but done this way it takes less than half an hour to put together and is worth every minute of effort.

　　

Ingredients

1 small eggplant*

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　Salt

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　1 small or 1/2 medium onion, chopped

　　2 medium tomatoes, chopped

　　Pinch of hot pepper

　　Pinch of sugar (optional)

　　3/4 cup cooked lamb, preferably rare, either chopped by hand into very small pieces or roughly ground in a food processor

　　Sprig of fresh parsley, chopped

　　About 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

　　Dusting of grated Parmesan

　　

Step 1

Trim the ends off the eggplant, and slice crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices. Brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle a little salt on both sides. Line your broiling pan with Silpat or aluminum foil, and spread the slices on it. Slide under a preheated broiler, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Stack, and cover with aluminum foil.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a small pan, and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes, hot pepper, and sugar (optional), and a sprinkling of salt. Sauté another 5 minutes, then add the lamb and parsley, and cook everything together until the juice from the tomatoes is somewhat reduced. Spread three or four slices of eggplant on the bottom of a single-serving shallow baking dish, top with most of the lamb and tomatoes, then spread another layer of eggplant over, and the remaining juices and bits from the lamb mix. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and cheese on top, and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 375° oven. Slip under the broiler if the top needs further browning.

　　Cooks' Note

　　If you can’t find a small eggplant, use a medium one and, after broiling, put away at least half the slices for tomorrow’s lunch. I find eggplant delicious in a pita along with slices of fresh tomato.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.