Eggplant Parmigiano with bell peppers and sautéed shrimp makes a complete and very tasty low carbohydrate dinner. If you have a set of small
gratin or crème brûlée dishes, this can also be prepared and served as a hot appetizer for 6. This dish, as a classic, requires parsley. We like cilantro, so . . .
Yield: 2 dinner servings or 6 hot appetizers
See Abbreviations, if needed
· 2 medium-large eggplants
· 1 red bell pepper
· 2T Italian seasoning (marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil), or herbes de Provence
· 3T EVOO
· S/P
· 10 oz tomato sauce, of choice (the less seasoning in the sauce, the better)
· 3T fresh cilantro (preferred) or parsley
· ½ C freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
· 10-12 medium shrimp
· 2t butter
· 1t basil infused EVOO
1. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into slices, a generous ¼-inch thick, discard the skin-backed outer slices
2. Open, deseed and slice the bell pepper into rectangles about 2-inches by ½-inch
3. Place the eggplant and bell pepper slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper
4. Season generously with salt and some Italian seasoning, or herbes de Provence
5. Drizzle EVOO generously on each piece of eggplant and a little on the peppers
6. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 400F for 25 minutes
7. Remove sheet pan from oven and let cool.
8. Fine tune the tomato sauce with fresh cilantro (preferred) or parsley and S/P
9. When cool, neatly slice away the skin-edge of the eggplant
10. Sauté the shrimp in a hot pan with a little butter, S/P and basal infused olive oil, about 2 minutes, to underdone. Transfer shrimp to a strainer
11. Switch the oven to broil
12. In individual gratin dishes or in one large shallow dish:
· Line the bottom of the dish with slices of eggplant
· Spoon tomato sauce over each slice
· Place in a few pieces of the roasted red bell pepper
· Dust this layer with cheese
· Lay in another layer of eggplant, peppers and sauce
· Evenly distribute the shrimp over the two layers
· Top all generously with cheese
13. Place the gratin(s) under the broiler long enough to finish
the shrimp and brown the cheese topping. Watch carefully
14. Remove from the broiler and garnish with a few leaves of
cilantro
15. Serve immediately
