BRÊME AU RIZ
(EGGPLANT AND RICE DRESSING)

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Yields: 8–10 Servings

Comment:
I sat down to have lunch with Odelise “Big Mama” Reulet at the Riverside Store in Vacherie. Quickly the conversation moved to dishes enjoyed by our grandparents back in early to mid-1900s. One that not only caught my attention but brought back vivid memories of a Sunday dinner at Mamere’s was Brême Au Riz.

Ingredients:
3 large eggplants
2 cups long grain rice
1 pound ground pork
1 pound smoked sausage
1 cup diced onions
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced bell peppers
¼ cup minced garlic
1 cup (70–90 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chicken stock
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
½ cup chopped parsley

Method:
Peel eggplant and dice into ¾-inch cubes. Boil in lightly salted water until tender and fully cooked, 25–30 minutes. Strain through a colander. While eggplant is draining, in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, brown ground pork over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is well browned and grain for grain, 15–20 minutes. Add smoked sausage and cook additional 10 minutes. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and minced garlic and cook until wilted, 5–10 minutes. Add shrimp, cook until pink and curl. Add chicken stock and eggplant and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to simmer and add rice, blending well into mixture. Season to taste with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 30 minutes. Do not stir or remove lid during the cooking process. At 30 minutes, add parsley and stir well. Cover and cook additional 10–15 minutes. Serve as a main dish or as a side dish for roasted chicken or pork or beef roast.