Mise en place! Eggplant Casserole, typically served at my childhood holiday meals, requires a bit of prep, but worth it. This farm-to-table dinner came from our community-supported agriculture (CSA) which had lots of eggplant this year. YUM! It’s been a minute (as the kids say) since I made this dish. And it didn’t disappoint. It tasted like home.

Creole Louisiana Eggplant Casserole

Ingredients & Prep

• 1½ lb eggplant, about 6 cups, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells!)
• 1 lb ham, cubed into small pieces
• EEVO
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, diced
• ¼ Cup green onion
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ stick of butter
• Louisiana Creole Seasoning (from dried ingredients):
  • ½ tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • 1 TBSP garlic powder
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp onion powder

Directions:

1. Sprinkle the cubed eggplant with salt. Set aside.
2. Shrimp stock: bring a pot of water to a boil, add shells, boil for about 10 minutes.
3. Season the peeled shrimp with Louisiana Creole seasoning. Set aside.
4. In a Dutch oven, sauté yellow onions in oil for about 5 minutes.
5. In the same pot, lightly brown the ham. Add the green onions, thyme, Bay leaves, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of Louisiana Creole Seasoning. Cook for another two minutes.
6. Add ½ cup water or shrimp stock to the pot, and bring to a soft boil. Add the cubed eggplant and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
7. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mash the softened eggplant.
8. Add butter, garlic, and shrimp. Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes until the shrimp are done.
9. Add beaten eggs, ½ cup of bread crumbs. Mix well. Cook for about 3 minutes.
10. Transfer to a casserole dish. Top with breadcrumbs.
11.  Bake for 25–30 minutes until the casserole bubbles around the edges and browns on top.
12.  Serve with rice or French bread or both!

Bon appétit!

With this New Orleans Crockpot Red Beans & Rice recipe, there’s no need to watch the pot and worry about burning your beans! But I still cook them on a Monday. Growing up, families cooked beans on Monday or wash-day, to be near the pot.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Camellia red beans
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ green bell pepper
• 2 -3bay leaves
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon thyme
• 1 medium-sized ham hock
• ½ lb. ham
• ½ lb. beef smoked sausage
• ½ 1b. hot sausage (chaurice)
• ¼ cup butter (4 tablespoons)
• 1 4 oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 cups long grain white rice, cooked
• French Bread

Directions:

1. Soak beans overnight. Put beans in a large bowl, cover with about 2 inches of water. Beans will absorb most of the water.

2. The next day, dice a yellow onion, garlic, and green bell pepper. Slice sausages and ham into bite-sized pieces.

3. Drain the remaining water from beans, rinse. Put the beans in a Crockpot; fill with water about an inch from the top. Add meat, all fresh and dried seasoning except garlic.

4. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or until beans are soft and easy to mash. Mash about a third of the softened beans on the side of the crock pot with a large spoon to create a creamy gravy.

5. Add butter, tomato sauce, and garlic. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve over cooked white rice with French bread. Bon appétit!