Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant (Eggplant Pirogue)
Eggplant stuffed with a filling of eggplant, shrimp, and Creole and Cajun seasonings, baked to a golden brown.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Here's What You Need
- 1 pound medium shrimp - peeled, de-veined and rinsed
- 3-4 medium purple eggplants - See Notes
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 medium yellow onion - chopped
- ½ medium green pepper - chopped
- 2 stalks Celery - chopped
- 1 bunch green onions - chopped
- 4 cloves garlic - chopped
- 1 cup Chicken Stock - See notes
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon dry basil
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning - plus some for the shrimp
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Here's What You Do
To prepare the eggplant
- Slice the whole eggplant lengthwise. Cut a cross-hatch in the eggplant with a sharp utility knife; brush with olive oil. (See Recipe Notes)
- Roast the eggplant, cut side down on a baking rack, in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the eggplant meat is soft.
- Allow the eggplants to cool. Scoop out the pulp, leaving about ¼ inch of the shell-resembling a little boat. Chop the scooped-out eggplant and set aside.
Prepare the shrimp
- Peel, de-vein, and rinse the shrimp, then pat dry with paper towels. Chop about ¾ of the shrimp into small pieces; leave the remainder whole. Mix with some Creole seasoning and set aside.
Prepare the stuffing
- Heat butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat until bubbly.
- Saute the onions, bell peppers and celery in the butter until beginning to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and green onions and saute until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Mix in about half of the Herb and Spice Blend and the bay leaves. Saute for about 2 minutes.
- Add in the chopped eggplant; reduce heat to medium, cover the dutch oven and slow simmer about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and the stock, uncover and simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until the eggplant is very soft and mash-able. (See Recipe Notes)
- Add in the shrimp, mix well and saute until the shrimp start to turn pink, simmer about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the breadcrumbs, starting with about half and adding more until the mixture holds together like a moist stuffing.
- Add in the rest of the Herb and Spice Blend, mix well.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, cover and let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and allow the eggplant to cool about 15 minutes before stuffing. Remove bay leaves.
Stuff eggplant and bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- With a spatula or wooden spoon, stuff the eggplant mixture into the eggplant halves, pushing to fill all the voids.
- Once all the filling has been used, sprinkle some bread crumbs on top and place 2 or 3 small tabs of butter on top of each.
- Place in the 350°F oven; Bake until browning on top,
Notes
Please read my article, Eggplant Pirogue (Shrimp Stuffed Eggplant) for detailed step-by-step instructions with images, FAQs, Ingredient Notes, and Tips.
Use a purple (either Globe or Italian) eggplant for this recipe, and you could actually substitute zucchini with a slight change in the flavor profile.
During prep, roast the eggplant to develop flavor and make the pulp easier to remove. You can also parboil or use raw eggplant; always leave about a ¼-inch shell. Brush lightly with oil—eggplant absorbs it quickly. Add breadcrumbs gradually until the filling holds together like a moist stuffing.
Use chicken stock (recommended); shrimp, seafood, or vegetable stock are good options.
Many ingredients contain salt, so taste before adding more.
For vegetarians, omit shrimp and use vegetable stock.
Store leftovers 3–5 days; reheat in a 350°F oven. Freeze cooked only (up to 3 months) and reheat from frozen, covered, at 350°F until heated through.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 1642mg | Potassium: 852mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 963IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 2mg
