One of my favorite pasttimes is reading cookbooks and magazines. The magazine I can’t wait to receive in the mail ebery month is Louisiana Kitchen and Culture. This is the best magazine devoted to the culinary history of the great state of Louisiana. It’s publisher, Susan Ford, strives to bring not only the best recipes but great stories on the people and places in Louisiana cuisine. This week, I will feature 2 recipes that have been featured in Susan’s weekly newsletter (I have been fortunate to have had recipes spotlighted here a couple of times.)
This recipe is from Rouses’s Market
4 medium Eggplants, split lentghwise
2 cups Water
1 teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Vegetable or Olive Oil
2 cups White or Yellow Onions, chopped
1 pound 16-20 count uncooked wild-caught Louisiana Shrimp, peeled, deveined, coarsely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Italian-style Breadcrumbs
1/2 pound Louisiana Lump Crabmeat, drained & picked over for shells
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
Preheat broiler. Arrange split eggplants flesh side down on large baking sheet. Pierce with fork. Broil 4 minutes, turn, broil an additional 4 minutes. Scoop out eggplant pulp, leaving 1/2 -inch-thick shell intact. Place pulp in heavy medium saucepan, cover with 2 cups water, add 1 teaspoon Rouses salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until eggplant is very tender and liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush ehhplant shells with 1 tablespoon oil; place, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Do not overcrowd. Bake until shells are tender but still hold their shape, approximately 20 minutes. While shells are baking, heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; satué until tender, about 5 minutes. Add boiled eggplant, shrimp and cayenne; satué until shrimp are cooked through, approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup breadcrumbs and crabmeat, and season to taste with Rouses salt and pepper. Fill eggplant shells with shrimp and crabmeat mixture. Sprinkle stuffing with Parmesan cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs. Bake eggplant until heated through, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve hot.
Enjoy!!!
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