Greek-style Beef With Eggplant

Total Time: 8 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 8 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 (1 lb) eggplants, peeled, halved, and cut each half into quarters
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 4 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
• 5 1/2 ounces tomato paste, 1 can in u.s
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped, and packed
• grated parmesan cheese, to taste

Recipe

• 1 in a colander over a sink, combine eggplant an 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. toss to ensure eggplant is well coated and set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°f (200°c). rinse the eggplant well under cold water and drain. pat dry with a paper towel. brush the eggplant with one tablespoon of the olive oil and place it on a baking sheet. bake the eggplant until soft an fragrant, about 20 minutes. transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
• 2 in a skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. add the ground beef and onions and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until beef is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. add garlic, oregano, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and peppercorns, and cook, stirring for 1 minute. add tomato paste and red wine and stir well. transfer to slow cooker stoneware. stir well.
• 3 cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until mixture is bubbly and eggplant is tender. stir in parsley and serve. pass the parmesan at the table.