Seafood Stuffed Eggplant Aubergine Casserole

SEAFOOD STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Bake eggplant in a pan with water at 350° for 30 minutes.
• Make the cream sauce by blending the flour into the butter and gradually adding milk. Let cool.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp, leaving shell intact for stuffing.
• Saute chopped pulp, scallion, parsley, shrimp and crabmeat together.
• Add the cream sauce and cook together until heated through.
• Stuff eggplant shells with mixture and sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
• Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are brown.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) & HERB STUFFING CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Peel, cube & parboil eggplant for 5 min in boiling water. Drain well & set aside.
• Butter a 2 qt baking dish. Begin by sprinkling 2/3 cup of stuffing mix on the bottom & then place 1/2 of the eggplant on top of the stuffing.
• Distribute entire amt of onion, bell pepper & tomato evenly over the eggplant & then 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese over that.
• Then layer on the remainder of the stuffing mix, eggplant & mozzarella cheese (in that order) & top evenly w/Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 min or till hot & bubbly. Serve immediately.
• NOTE #1: This is 1 of several recipes I have seen lately to suggest parboiling eggplant. I have always sauteed eggplant in olive oil till just slightly tender for such uses & assume that can be done here as well if your pref.
• NOTE #2: While not a part of the recipe, the use of garlic here would be a must for me. If you agree, then lightly sprinkle garlic powder (or salt if your choice) over the onion, bell pepper & tomato layer b4 completing assembly of the casserole.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Heat oil in saucepan.
• Sauté eggplant and onion until soft.
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir through margarine until melted.
• Add remainder of ingredients, and combine well.
• Transfer to a casserole dish, and bake until golden and bubbling, approx 45 minutes.

MOUSSAKA-STYLE STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Halve the eggplants lengthwise and score the interior of each half, leaving about a third of an inch thickness on the perimeter.
• Use a paring knife and a spoon to scoop out the interior of the eggplant, leaving a 'boat.'.
• Using a fork, pierce the skin in several places, liberally salt the halves and place them upside down on paper towels to drain for about 30 minutes.
• Chop the eggplant flesh into 1/2" cubes and set aside 4 cups of the cubes (reserve any excess for another recipe).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Wipe the eggplant shells out with paper towels, brush the skin lightly with a little olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet.
• Bake them until they are just tender (about ten minutes) then remove from the oven and set aside in a baking dish.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
• Add the lamb and cook, breaking up the pieces, until lightly browned--about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion, garlic, 4 cups of eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft--about five more minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, bell pepper, cloves, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne and cook until the mixture is fairly dry.
• Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the ricotta.
• Season to taste and spoon into the 4 eggplant halves.
• Place the remaining 1 and 1/3 cups of ricotta in a small bowl and stir in the nutmeg and enough milk until the consistency of the cheese mixture is spreadable.
• Spread it over the filled eggplant halves and sprinkle the tops with parmesan.
• Bake until the tops are very brown--25 to 35 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

SHRIMP STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Cut each eggplant it half, cutting through the stem and down its length.
• Cut perpendicular (criss-cross) slices in the flesh of the eggplant to within ¼ inch of the shell.
• Use a spoon to scoop out cubes of eggplant pulp.
• Place shells in an oven preheated to 350 while preparing the filling or in a shallow pan of boiling water. You want the shells a little tender but not fully cooked when you stuff them.
• Saute onion and garlic in a little oil in a skillet until transparent but not brown.
• Add the eggplant pulp and cook until done.
• Add shrimp and cook for about 5 more minutes.
• Add basil and enough breadcrumbs until mix is firm but not dry. Salt and pepper to taste. Cheese can be added if desired at this step and grated on top after cooking as well.
• Stuff shells and put in oven proof dish. Heat in 350 oven until piping hot or freeze.
• Serve with a salad and good French or Italian bread. Fantastic.

MY MOM'S SOUTHERN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Peel eggplant, cut into 1" cubes and lightly salt to sweat the bitter taste out--about 15-20 minutes.
• Cook in saucepan with water until tender--about 18 minutes; drain and cool slightly.
• Cook sausage, onion until sausage is browned and onion is soft.Combine eggplant and sausage; add egg and bread crumbs.
• Spoon into prepared casserole.
• Combine butter and cracker crumbs. Spread over top of casserole.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cracker crumbs are golden brown.
• Variations:.
• Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded before adding the cracker crumbles.
• Mix in 1/2 cup Rotel Tomatoes, well drained.

ARMENIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Pare and dice eggplant.
• Heat oil in skillet, add onion, green pepper, and eggplant.
• Stir over low heat until eggplant is soft.
• Add tomatoes (may substitute canned Italian solid pear shape tomatoes, drained), salt, and freshly ground pepper.
• Simmer a few minutes.
• At this point you can add basil, chives, parsley, tarragon or oregano to taste.
• Turn into casserole dish and bake at 325 degrees F for 40 minutes.
• Casserole may be served hot or cold, with sour cream.

CREOLE STUFFED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the butter and olive oil together in large skillet.
• Add the onion, celery, and garlic and saute over low heat until the onion is translucent.
• Add the diced bell pepper and continue to saute until the onion is golden.
• In the meantime, stem the eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise.
• With a sharp knife, score each half several times lengthwise and across, carefully removing the pulp.
• Leave a sturdy shell of about 1/4" all around.
• Chop the eggplant pulp and add it to the skillet mixture along with all the remaining ingredients except the bread crumbs.
• Add a bit of water, just enough to keep the mixture moist.
• Simmer, covered, over low heat until the eggplant is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the bread crumbs.
• Set the eggplant shells in an oiled shallow baking dish, which should be of a size that they can be securely propped up against each other.
• Stuff the eggplant shells with the sauteed mixture, then drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of melted butter apiece.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until the shells are tender but not collapsed.
• Serve with a bit of grated Parmesan for garnish.
• Note: if you do not like green bell pepper, you might want to try substituting with orange, yellow, or red bell pepper.