Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs

Name: Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Creole, Cajun
Ingredients: 8 baby Italian eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1-inch thick; 6 slices day old Italian bread, crusts removed, coarsely ground in food processor; 59 milliliters canola oil; 6 servings Canola oil; 1 pinch Pinch cayenne; 3 Tbsps finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 454 grams fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced, weighted for a for 3 hours to remove excess liquid; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves; 2 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste; 3 cloves garlic; 6 servings Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 59 milliliters olive oil; 118 milliliters olive oil; 118 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves; 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika; 177 milliliters grated Parmesan; 3 Tbsps pine nuts; 4 grilled or roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed and chopped; 118 milliliters spice rub from Cajun-rubbed spiced turkey

Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs a try. This recipe makes 6 servings with 1175 calories, 32g of protein, and 95g of fat each. This recipe covers 44% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe is typical of Creole cuisine. Head to the store and pick up baby eggplants, paprika, thyme leaves, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the kosher salt you could follow this main course with the Low Fat Crumbs Cake (Kosher-Dairy) as a dessert. Autumn will be even more special with this recipe.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat.

Equipment you will use

Grill

Brush the eggplant with canola oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Canola Oil

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Grill

Combine the peppers, pine nuts, garlic, and thyme in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly the cup olive oil and process until emulsified.

Ingredients you will need

Olive Oil

Pine Nuts

Peppers

Garlic

Thyme

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and some salt and pepper and pulse a few times to incorporate.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Parmesan

Spoon about 1/2 cup of the pesto over the bottom of a baking dish. Line the dish with the some eggplant slices and then the mozzarella slices. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the oregano leaves over the top. Dollop another 1/2 cup or so of the pesto over, then more eggplant, a bit more pesto and finally the remaining Parmesan. Put on the grill, cover and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot, about 20 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Oregano

Mozzarella

Eggplant

Parmesan

Cheese

Pesto

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Oven

Grill

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Ingredients you will need

Garlic

Add the paprika and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds.

Ingredients you will need

Ground Cayenne Pepper

Paprika

Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs are lightly golden brown.

Ingredients you will need

Breadcrumbs

Add the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Parsley

Thyme

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over hot coals or over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs (about 2 cups) and the spice rub and toast, stirring, until the crumbs are golden brown and crisp.

Ingredients you will need

Breadcrumbs

Olive Oil

Dry Seasoning Rub

Toast

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and scatter over the casserole.

Ingredients you will need

Parsley

Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Equipment

Recommended wine: Rose Wine, Albarino, Sauvignon Blanc

Rosé Wine, Albarino, and Sauvignon Blanc are great choices for Cajun. These low-tannin, lower alcohol wines will complement the heat in spicy cajun dishes, instead of making your mouth burn more. One wine you could try is Elway's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Wine. It has 5 out of 5 stars and a bottle costs about 78 dollars.