Seafood-Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients

• 6 medium eggplants
• 1 pound small shrimp
• 1 pound white lump crab meat
• 4 bell peppers
• 4 medium onions
• ½ C parsley
• 3 cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ C celery
• Bread crumbs

Directions

1. Bring water in a large pot to a rolling boil and add the eggplant whole. Boil until the eggplant are soft.
2. Remove from boiling water, halve them longways, and remove the meat with a tablespoon. Save the eggplant shells and the meat.
3. In another pan, bring 3 tbs of olive oil and 2 tbs butter to medium heat and sauté the bell peppers, onions, celery and garlic together until limp.
4. Add the eggplant meat and simmer until most of the water is reduced out.
5. Add the shrimp and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Remove to a mixing bowl and fold in crab meat and parsley. Allow to cool briefly and add enough bread crumbs to allow the mixture to be stuffed into the eggplant shells.
7. Sprinkle the top of the eggplant with bread crumbs, paprika, and a little margarine. Bake at 350° until brown. Serves 12.