Recipe: Shrimp-Stuffed Eggplant

Shrimp-Stuffed Eggplant

Serves 4. Bake at 400° F. for 20 minutes.

From: Corinne Cook of The Advocate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.


Another popular vegetable in Louisiana is eggplant. Could be from the influence of the Sicilian immigrants 100 years ago. Whatever the reason, it is a beloved dish when it is stuffed with seafood as a particular favorite.

Here the eggplant is halved lengthwise and partially cooked. The flesh is scooped out and then cooked together with onions, bell peppers, shrimp and garlic for the stuffing that is placed back into the shell and baked. Don’t worry if the eggplant shell tends to collapse or flatten from the weight of the stuffing. You are still able to pile quite a bit of the stuffing above the shell’s edge. Anything else left over can be placed in a casserole dish and baked as the stuffing dish it is!

Make sure you purchase small to medium-sized eggplants and they have smooth, shiny, blemish-free skins.


Ingredients:

2 small to medium eggplants

1 ½ lbs. shrimp

¼ cup vegetable/canola oil

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 slices day-old bread

1 Tablespoon butter

Salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste

2 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup Parmesan cheese for topping


Directions:


Cut eggplant in half length-wise. Do not peel. Drop halves in boiling water and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes or until they are just tender. Drain.

Peel and devein shrimp. Cook shrimp in a little water or sauté in a little oil until just done. Do not overcook – usually 30 seconds per side or less.

Using a knife or grapefruit spoon, remove the eggplant pulp. Leave some of the pulp around the edges to form a shell. Don’t worry if the shells don’t stand upright. You can still put the stuffing over the flat shell. Put shells in greased baking dish. Chop eggplant pulp into small pieces; reserve.

Sauté onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic in oil until soft. Add chopped pulp.

Wet the slices of bread under running water and squeeze out most of the water.

Add the bread, butter and the salt and pepper to the eggplant mixture. Stir until bread is mixed with the eggplant and seasonings. Remove from heat and gradually stir in the beaten eggs. Blend well. Add cooked shrimp and fresh parsley.

Spoon stuffing into eggplant shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake in 400-degree oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.


Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog -
Romancing The Chocolate

Recipe: Smoky Chicken Chili

During the winter months many of us like to turn to serving up bowls of hot chili. Sometimes the beef version is far too spicy and heavy and we want a change of pace.

How about using that rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or a smoked chicken from your favorite deli to make that lighter version of your favorite chili?

Instead of the usual heavier red kidney beans why not try a change of pace with earthy black beans and nutty white beans to compliment a lighter meat like chicken?

Remember: to cut the spicy heat stir in some sour cream as dairy products are stellar at standing in for the local fire department, instantly dousing that fiery heat!


Smoky Chicken Chili


Yield: Makes 9 cups

Preparation time: 15 minutes to assemble plus 1 hour 15 minutes cooking time

From: Southern Living magazine


Ingredients:

2 poblano chile peppers, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium-sized onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 (14 ½ oz.) cans zesty chili-style diced tomatoes
(Del Monte brand)

1 (16 oz.) can navy beans (in Louisiana use Camellia brand
cream-style white beans)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (12 oz.) can beer OR 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (1.25 oz.) envelope white chicken chili seasoning mix
(McCormick brand)


Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges, baby corn, sliced black olives, chopped red onion, tortilla chips



Directions: Sauté first 4 ingredients in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in diced tomatoes and next 5 ingredients.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Serve with desired toppings.

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog –
Romancing The Chocolate

Recipe: Seafood Stuffed Bell Peppers

Here's another typical Louisiana favorite comfort food dish. This recipe comes from the famous restaurant of Mike Anderson's in Baton Rouge.

Seafood-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serves 6 - 8.


Ingredients:

3 - 4 green bell peppers, whole

3/4 cup chopped yellow onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic

2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter/margarine

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 pound crawfish tails, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup cooked white rice

2 1/2 Tablespoons chopped green onions

Paprika

Grated Parmesan cheese



Directions:


Cut bell peppers in half, removing seeds.

Boil until slightly tender. Drain and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, slowly saute yellow onions, celery and garlic in butter.

Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes over low heat. Stir frequently.

Add salt and pepper. Stir.

Add mushroom soup and crawfish tails.

Cook 8 minutes or until creamy.

Add rice and green onions. Stir well.

Fill each pepper half with stuffing.

Sprinkle paprika and Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake 20 minutes at 450 degree F., serving hot! Enjoy!

Note: If you are in a part of America or another country where crawfish tails cannot be easily found, maybe too expensive, just substitute small shrimp - equally tasty!


Photo by turtlemom4bacon @ flickr of a stuffed bell pepper with ground meat

Note: For other recipes visit my other fun blog –
Romancing The Chocolate