Eggplant Casserole Acadiana

Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Emeril's Ragin' Cajun

Picture of Eggplant Casserole Acadiana Recipe Photo: Eggplant Casserole Acadiana Recipe
Rated 4 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 7 Reviews
Total Time:
1 hr 15 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr 0 min
Yield:
8 servings
Level:
Easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
  • 4 pounds eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 rib celery, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 cup tasso, diced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 pound ground or finely chopped smoked ham
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
  • 1 cup dried bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Fill a large Dutch oven half way full of water and add 1 tablespoon of the salt. Bring to a boil and add the eggplant. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the eggplant in a colander, reserving 1 to 2 cups of the cooking liquid separately. Allow eggplant to continue to drain while you proceed.

Return the same Dutch oven to the heat and add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook, stirring, until very soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, ground beef and tasso and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the meat is brown, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, Essence, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the reserved eggplant, ham, and 1 cup of the reserved eggplant cooking liquid and stir gently to combine. Cook for 5 minutes. The mixture should be moist but not soupy. If it seems too dry, add a bit more of the reserved cooking liquid. In a small bowl combine the heavy cream, eggs, and green onions and add to the eggplant, along with 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Stir gently to combine.

Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch casserole and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and lightly golden on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Published by William Morrow, 1993.

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 7 reviews

  • on September 24, 2009

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    This was a great dish, great flavors not much fuss in the prep department. I added an extra half pound of ground beef only because I only had two pounds of eggplant instead of four. Worked out terrific! I also used panko bread crumbs instead of regular which gave the top a wonderful crunch. This a for sure make again dish!

    people found this review Helpful.
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  • on September 09, 2008

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    Emeril! It sounds so good and I wanted to make it. But the picture here looks even worse than it did on TV. I do not think my husband would touch it because he is very visual. I think I am still afraid of eggplant.

    people found this review Helpful.
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  • on April 23, 2008

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    My family is from Baton Rouge. This dish has all the flavors you would expect from good ole Cajun cooking. To make it easy do all your prep work first. You wont be sorry you made this recipe. Big props Emeril!

    people found this review Helpful.
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