CREAM OF EGGPLANT SOUP

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Yields: 12 Servings

Comment:
Eggplant stuffed with crabmeat and ground pork is one of the most common vegetable dishes in Louisiana. Incorporating eggplant into a soup is a more recent, but equally popular, use of this vegetable. You might want to try adding a teaspoon of curry powder to intensify the flavor of this dish.

Ingredients:
2-3 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
1 cup butter
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced bell peppers
¼ cup minced garlic
¼ cup diced tomatoes
1 cup flour
2 ½ quarts chicken stock (see recipe)
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cup sliced green onions
1 cup chopped parsley
salt and white pepper to taste

Method:
In a 2-gallon stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in eggplant, onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic and tomatoes. Sauté 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until white roux is achieved. (See roux recipes.) Add chicken stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a low boil and cook 30 minutes. Stir in cream, green onions and parsley. Cook 10 additional minutes. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. NOTE: To create an interesting twist in this recipe, add julienned andouille and fresh shellfish such as crab or shrimp.