Shared by Charles Dabah
Shared by Charles Dabah
Chicken with Mehshi Sfeeha (Chicken with Stuffed Eggplants)
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Chicken with Mehshi Sfeeha (Chicken with Stuffed Eggplants)
Yield: 6 to 8 servingsFamily Journey
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This recipe was shared by Charles Dabbah. Read more about his family in " A Grandmother’s Syrian Legacy Wrapped Up in Grape Leaves" and try his recipes for ou', yebra, and kiftahs.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup short grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 12 dried eggplant skins
- 3 pound whole roasting chicken
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil, divided
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground allspice, divided
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½” rounds crosswise
- Kosher salt to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Step 2
Make the meat stuffing: Combine ground beef, rice, allspice, salt, and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well distributed. Set aside.
Step 3
Rehydrate the eggplant skins: In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, carefully place the dried eggplant skins into the water and mix occasionally to make sure they are all submerged. Boil for about 5 minutes until soft. Drain the eggplants, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of salt on each eggplant skin and set aside to cool.
Step 4
Stuff the eggplants: Using a teaspoon or your hands, stuff each eggplant skin with about 2 to 3 teaspoons of the meat mixture, and flatten the filling at the top edge of the eggplant skins. Set aside.
Step 5
Prepare the fresh eggplant slices: Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes then pat dry. Place a 10 inch skillet over medium to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into the skillet. Once oil is hot, place a single layer of eggplant slices into the pan. Fry for about 2 to 4 minutes on each side until deep golden brown. Transfer eggplants with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined sheet tray to drain any excess oil. Continue frying the rest of the eggplant slices in batches.
Step 6
In a large dutch oven or a large roasting pan, place 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pot evenly. Place the stuffed eggplants in a single layer on the bottom of the pot and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of allspice on top. Lay the fried eggplant slices evenly over the stuffed eggplants.
Step 7
Place the whole chicken over the eggplant slices, and coat the chicken evenly with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil. Rub the remaining teaspoon of allspice, a generous amount of salt, and garlic all over the chicken. Place the chicken breast side down. Add enough water to the pot to cover halfway up the stuffed eggplants, about ½ cup.
Step 8
Roast uncovered in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes and up to 2 hours, flipping the chicken halfway between cooking, always ensuring that there is water in the pot to prevent the eggplants from burning. Remove from the oven, let the chicken and eggplants rest for 15 minutes.
Step 9
To serve, arrange the chicken, stuffed eggplants and fried eggplant sliced on a large serving platter. Serve hot.
