COMMENT:
This dish is most commonly eaten as an entree. However, try cutting
it into vegetable-size portions and serving in place of a potato
dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 medium-sized eggplants, split lengthwise
- 2 eggplant, peeled and cubed
- 4 cups river shrimp tails
- 1/4 pound butter
- 1 cup onions, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 cup garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 cup rich chicken stock
- salt and cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Boil all eggplant in lightly salted
water until tender. Remove and cool under tap water. Using a metal
spoon, scrape meat from inside of the halved eggplants, being careful
not to tear the shell. Save the shells to be stuffed later. Add
this scraped meat to the uncooked cubed eggplant and set aside.
The cubed eggplant has been added to ensure that enough vegetable
will be available at the time of stuffing. In a four-quart sauce
pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, celery,
bell pepper, garlic and tomatoes approximately 10-15 minutes or
until vegetables are wilted. Add ground pork and ground beef and
slow cook until golden brown and each grain of meat is well separated.
Add small amounts of chicken stock, should the meat mixture become
too dry during cooking. When mixture is browned, add eggplant and
continue to cook an additional 30 minutes until vegetables, meat
and eggplant are well blended. Remove from heat and season to taste
using salt and cracked black pepper. Gently fold in river shrimp
and sprinkle breadcrumbs into the mixture to absorb most of the
liquid. Using a metal cooking spoon, stuff shells with cooked eggplant
mixture, dividing equally between the six shells. Sprinkle additional
breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese on top of stuffed eggplant and place
on baking pan. Bake until breadcrumbs and cheese are golden brown.
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