Seafood Stuffed Eggplant (aubergine)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 3 medium eggplants, each cut in half lengthwise (about 3 pounds)
• cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup ham, chopped (i skip)
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup
• 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
• 2 1/2 ounces day-old french bread or 2 1/2 ounces other firm bread
• 6 tablespoons grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 425°f.
• 2 score cut side of each eggplant half in a crisscross pattern; lightly coat cut sides of eggplant halves with cooking spray.
• 3 place eggplant halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet.
• 4 bake for 10 minutes.
• 5 turn eggplant halves over; bake an additional 10 minutes or until tender.
• 6 remove from oven; cool 10 minutes.
• 7 remove pulp from eggplant, leaving a (1/4-inch-thick) shell.
• 8 place eggplant shells on baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• 9 chop pulp; set aside.
• 10 reduce oven temperature to 350°f.
• 11 heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• 12 add ham, 1/2 cup onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes.
• 13 add reserved eggplant pulp and ; cook 10 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.
• 14 stir in shrimp; cook 1 minute. remove from heat.
• 15 place bread in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form.
• 16 add breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons cheese, green onions, basil, tarragon, rind, salt, and black pepper to eggplant mixture; stir gently to combine.
• 17 mound about 1/2 cup shrimp mixture into each eggplant shell.
• 18 sprinkle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese.
• 19 bake for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and shrimp are done.