Creole Stuffed Eggplant
Submitted by julliard61
Eggplant halves stuffed with a Cajun filling of onion, celery, bell pepper, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and breadcrumbs. Baked until tender. Naturally plant-based.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
40 minREADY
80 minStuffed eggplant is a staple of Creole home cooking, and this version keeps things honest with just vegetables and good seasoning.
The eggplant pulp gets scooped out and simmered with onion, celery, garlic, green pepper, fresh tomatoes, basil, parsley, thyme, and cayenne until everything melts together.
Breadcrumbs bind the filling, which gets packed back into the shells and baked until the eggplant is perfectly tender.
It’s hearty enough to stand on its own as a main course, and it happens to be completely plant-based.
Kitchen Tips
- Score the eggplant pulp deeply before scooping to make it easier to remove without tearing the shells
- Leave a sturdy quarter-inch wall on the shells so they hold their shape in the oven
- Prop the stuffed halves against each other in the baking dish so they stay upright
- Add a sprinkle of Parmesan on top before baking if you’re not keeping it vegan
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Heat the oil in large skillet.
Add the onion, celery, and garlic and sauté over low heat until the onion is translucent.
Add the green pepper and continue to sauté 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 ¼ inch 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 them, then bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the shells are tender but not collapsed.
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