Eggplant and Shrimp

Eggplant

Submitted by: Julie Forrer (mom of Interior Design Student)

Smothered eggplant and shrimp casserole, Louisiana style. Like my mamma taught me! This is my favorite way to eat eggplant. It melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

  • 3-4 medium eggplants. Peel and slice thick (1/2″ is ok). Put in colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Let set a half hour or so. This is to get rid of some the bitter. It will release water. Rinse well and rough chop.
    Take a medium-large onion and medium dice.
  • 2-3 celery stalks chopped,
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped,
  • 3-4 cloves of fresh garlic chopped (you can use a good heaping T of jar garlic).
  • Add a 1 1/2 teaspoons of Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning (this has salt in it so don’t salt on top of it),
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 good shots of Tabasco/chipotle style
  • Add 1/3 can of chicken broth

Instructions

Saute all with the eggplant until it breaks down and everything is tender, add more chicken broth if it gets dry. Stir every few minutes. I do this in a nice heavy bottom pot or pan. Cooking takes a good 30-40 minutes on medium.

Once it is soft, take a pound of RAW gulf shrimp (peeled and deveined). Cut them to bite size if they are large (you can add more than 1 pound if you like).

Season shrimp with salt and pepper and saute separately in a little good quality butter (I like Kerrygold). Don’t cook all the way, just get a good little crisp on them. They will finish in the oven.

Taste eggplant mix for seasoning (salt, pepper, heat). Mix the eggplant and the shrimp together and put into a lightly greased glass casserole dish. Put a few pats of good butter along the top in a few spots around the casserole.

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with crusty french bread and Louisiana hot sauce.