Stuffed Eggplant Creole
2 eggplants
water
salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic - crushed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 can tomatoes - undrained
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon tabasco
1. Wash egg plants. Cut into halves lengthwise. Add about 1 inch of water to a large skillet. Add a little sea salt. Bring water to a boil
2. Add eggplants to the skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the bulbs are soft. Remove from water set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 350. When eggplants are cool enough to handle use a large spoon to carefully scoop the pulp from each one - leaving a 1/4 inch thick shell. Chop the pulp.
4. In large skillet warm canola oil and garlic and onions. Add the ground beef. Cook until the beef is brown. Add the celery and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
5. Stir tomatoes, thyme, and tobasco into the meat mixture.
6. Remove the skillet from heat and add the eggplant to the meat mixture.
7. Place the meat mixture inside the eggplant shells. Put shells in shallow baking pan and cook for 25 minutes.
Sharon's modifications:
When I want to simplify this recipe I grate the eggplants and steam it and then add to the meat mixture. I throw it in the oven, but just using a casserole dish, no eggplant shells to cook it in.
