Jerk-Roasted Meatballs & Eggplant

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons Hillside Harvest Jamaican Jerk marinade

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

 (pinch of) Salt

1 pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 pound ground beef

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 egg

1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of the Hillside Harvest Jamaican Jerk marinade with the vinegar, oil, honey, and a pinch of salt. Add the cut eggplant to the bowl; toss until each piece is evenly coated the dressing. Spread the dressed eggplant over the prepared baking sheet and set aside. Wipe out the used bowl.
3. In the same medium bowl, mix the beef with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Hillside Harvest Jamaican Jerk marinade, ¼ cup of cilantro, the panko, the egg, and a pinch of salt. Roll the mixture into 1 ½-inch balls (about the size of golf balls) and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, nestling them on and around the eggplant.
4. Roast until the eggplant is tender and browned and the meatballs are firm to the touch, 25 to 30 minutes. Squeeze the lemon over the roasted eggplant and meatballs as soon as they come out of the oven, using tongs to gently give everything a toss on the baking sheet. Transfer the meatballs and eggplant to a serving platter and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro.