Ingredients for Eggplant Casserole

4 Eggplants
2 cups Cajun Trinity
1 stick of butter or 2-3 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound ground round
1/2 pound ground pork
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
2 cups bread crumbs
1-2 cups chicken stock

Cooking Directions for Eggplant Casserole

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Spray a casserole dish with spray oil.

FIrst start by peeling the eggplant.  Cut in half and then cut into strips.  Then, cut crosswise into 1 inch cubes. 

Heat in a large pot about 2 cups chicken stock. 

Place in the pot the cubed eggplant. 

Season with Sea Salt and  a sprinkle of Tony’s Creole Seasoning.  Let simmer for 15 minutes. 

Stir occasionally. 

Once tender, mash with a whisk or a potato masher to get the lumpy pieces. 

Meanwhile, heat 1 stick of butter on medium heat (#6) in a deep skillet. 

Cook the ground round beef and ground pork by chopping up with a flat edged wooden spatula.  The meat should all be brown and no pink.

Pour the meat mixture into the eggplant pot.  Stir well. 

Then, add in 1 cup of bread crumbs. 

Stir to mix all ingredients evenly. 

Add seasoning if needed.

Pour into casserole dish and sprinkle with another cup of bread crumbs. 

An optional step would be to also sprinkle on parmesan cheese. 

Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. 

Serving Suggestions for Eggplant Casserole

Serve as a side dish in a small bowl or serve with a good butter cracker or whole wheat cracker for a party.

Other Options for Eggplant Casserole 

Replace ground meat with boiled or sautéed shrimp, crawfish, or crabmeat.  The seafood really makes for a tasty party dip.

Ingredients for Cajun Rice Dressing:

1 lb ground round beef
1 lb lean ground pork
2 links of fresh pork sausage (we used a spicy Andouille sausage)
4 cups Cajun Trinity
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 stick of butter
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups rice
6 cups water
Tony’s Creole Seasoning and Salt to taste
Chopped green onions for garnish
½ cup chopped pecans for garnish

Step One: Make rice according to package directions.

Step Two: Melt butter in a deep skillet. Slice into the casing on the sausage and remove the meat inside. Place all meat in the skillet. On medium high heat, cook the meats by chopping to a fine ground meat mixture. It should take about 10 minutes. Add the Cajun Trinity, minced garlic and ½ cup chicken stock. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and clumping.

Step Three: Using a large mixing bowl, blend together meat mixture and rice. It should be a good 50/50 mix. Season to taste and stir well. Pour into a casserole dish or 13 x 9 baking pan. Garnish with chopped green onions and pecans. Serve hot.

Notes: May be used as a stuffing for turkey, chicken, or a pork roast. Rice dressing, or rice stuffing, is also a great side dish. When served as a side item, we call it Dirty Rice.

Many Cajun recipes also call for the use of poached chicken livers and giblets. Certainly add if you want. We chose not to.

Grilled Redfish

Ingredients for Grilled Redfish:

Fresh Redfish or Catch of the Day (skin on) – 1 filet for each person
Spray Canola Oil
Lime
Worcestershire Sauce
Garlic Powder
Tony’s Creole Seasoning
Sea Salt

1 stick of butter
2 cloves minced garlic
Green Onions – chopped
Fresh or dried Cilantro

Prepare your grill along with soaking mesquite smoking chips. Please see our Grilling Tips video for details on proper grill preparation.

Lay fish filets out on a tray. Spray both sides of the filets with spray oil; especially the skin side. Squeeze lime juice over the redfish and shake out Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle on Tony’s, Garlic Powder and Sea Salt. Place skin down on the grill and put the lid on. We will not be turning the fish.

Next, prepare the Cilantro Lime Butter Sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Squeeze in another half lime. Add in the chopped green onions, minced garlic, and cilantro. Blend well. Spoon out a bit of the butter sauce in order to drizzle on the redfish while on the grill.

After about 20 mins, we checked the fish for a white flaky doneness. Bring the redfish inside and pour over the remaining butter sauce. If all that butter is too much for you, at least scoop out the green onions, garlic and cilantro to spoon over the fish.

Serving Suggestions for Grilled Redfish:

Serve with a fresh steamed broccoli or asparagus or whatever you like, and crusty garlic bread. It was so good!

Ingredients for Shrimp Creole:

2 lbs Large Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 stick of butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups Cajun Trinity with minced garlic
6-8 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup rice
Olive oil
Green onions chopped for garnish
Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
Tabasco sauce to taste

How to Make Shrimp Creole:

As with all Cajun recipes, you start with a Roux. But, first we need to sauté our Cajun Trinity and garlic. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or 6 quart pot. On medium heat, sauté the Cajun Trinity until vegetables are wilted and tender. Pour into a side bowl and set aside.

For the Roux – melt 1 stick of butter on medium heat. Gradually add ½ cup flour and stir constantly until a light golden color. Carefully mix in Cajun Trinity and stir as to not stick or burn. Add 6-8 cups stock. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes. Add Rotel, tomato sauce, and Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning. Simmer another 10-15 minutes. Add shrimp. Cook another 10 minutes.

Make rice according to package directions.
1 cup rice + 2 cups water + 20 minutes = cooked white rice.

Serving Suggestions for Shrimp Creole:

Serve Shrimp Creole over mound of rice in a deep plate or bowl. Garnish with chopped green onions. Also, Shrimp Creole is wonderful with crusty French bread for dipping.

Remember cooking from scratch is so easy and very rewarding. Bon Appétit!