3 lb. ground lamb
1 lg. onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cloves
3-5 sm. to med. eggplants
2 tbsp. butter
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp. salt or to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper or to taste
2 1/2 c. bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 c. grated Swiss cheese

Saute the onion, ground lamb and garlic. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Drain thoroughly. Set aside.

Cut the eggplants in half and cut the pulp out of the shells. Leave about 1/2 inch of pulp in the shell. The shells can be used as serving boats or the shells can be cut and used to line the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased pan.

Saute 4-5 cups of the eggplant pulp, chopped fine, in 2 tablespoons butter. Add the stewed tomatoes, drained and the juice reserved. Add the meat mixture and salt and pepper to taste. Add some of the reserved juice, if necessary.

Put the mixture in the shells or the shell-lined pan. This can be done ahead to this point and refrigerated. When ready to do final preparation, remove from the refrigerator. Prepare a bechamel sauce as follows.

BECHAMEL SAUCE:

4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chicken bouillon
3/4 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter. Saute the onion. Combine flour with it smoothly. Add bouillon slowly, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add cream, season to taste, and simmer very gently for about 15 minutes. Strain, if desired. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Cover the lamb-eggplant mixture with the Bechamel Sauce and top with grated Swiss cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.