This recipe is inspired by a dish served in Copeland’s restaurants. Copeland's is a chain started by New Orleans native Al Copeland in 1983 offering New Orleans-style cuisine. A ‘pirogue’ is a narrow canoe shaped boat used to skim across the shallow swamps of Louisiana. The idea is to cut the aubergine to resemble a pirogue. In this case, I think my pirogue would probably sink, since I loaded it with so much seafood!
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the aubergine:
1 x large aubergine
Flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs
Oil to fry
For the seafood:
10 cooked or raw shelled jumbo prawns
6 cooked crab claws
For the seafood sauce:
25g butter
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 fat clove of garlic, grated
1 tbsp whisky
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
250 ml chicken stock (or seafood stock)
3 tbsp double cream
A few gratings of Parmesan cheese (to taste)
½ tbsp finely chopped Spring onion
To serve:
Thin noodles or angel hair pasta (cooked)
Finely chopped Spring onions and/or parsley
Method
For the aubergine:
Ingredients (serves 2)
For the aubergine:
1 x large aubergine
Flour, beaten egg and panko breadcrumbs
Oil to fry
For the seafood:
10 cooked or raw shelled jumbo prawns
6 cooked crab claws
For the seafood sauce:
25g butter
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 fat clove of garlic, grated
1 tbsp whisky
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
250 ml chicken stock (or seafood stock)
3 tbsp double cream
A few gratings of Parmesan cheese (to taste)
½ tbsp finely chopped Spring onion
To serve:
Thin noodles or angel hair pasta (cooked)
Finely chopped Spring onions and/or parsley
Method
For the aubergine:
- Depending its size, cut the aubergine into thirds or halves from stem to tip. Slightly hollow out the fleshy centre of the ‘boats’.
- Coat the flesh sides by dipping into flour, beaten egg and then panko crumbs.
- Shallow fry on the fleshy sides on a medium heat until the coating is golden and the aubergine tender.
- Melt the butter in a deep sided frying pan. If you are using raw prawns fry them gently for a few minutes until cooked through. Remove prawns and set aside.
- Gently cook the shallot in the butter until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, without browning.
- Stir in the Cajun seasoning.
- Add the whisky and allow to reduce for a minute, so that the raw alcohol evaporates.
- Add the stock and bring to simmering point. Add the cream and simmer until the sauce reduces by a third and thickens. You are not looking for a really thick sauce.
- Add Parmesan, to taste and the chopped Spring onion.
- Add the cooked prawns and crab claws and heat through.
- Place noodles/pasta in the base of 2 shallow bowls and set the aubergine ‘boats’ on top. Pour the seafood in its sauce over the centre of each ‘boat’.
- Sprinkle with chopped Spring onions and/or parsley
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