Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• Cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups medium-grain rice, cooked in seafood stock, divided
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 cups hot water
• 2 cups non-fat half-and-half
• 1 cup grated Swiss cheese
• 1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned and de-veined
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound claw crabmeat
• Chopped green onion tops, for garnish

Instructions

1. For eggplant: Peel eggplant and slice into 8 (1/4-inch thick) medallions. Place sliced eggplant into a small bowl, add cold water and salt and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and dry on a paper towel. Combine egg and milk to make an egg wash. Combine flour and Creole seasoning in a shallow bowl. Dip eggplant in egg wash and then dredge in seasoned flour. In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat. Cook eggplant until golden brown and tender. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
2. For Rice Patties: In a medium bowl add 2 cups of cooked rice, egg, garlic salt, red pepper, onion tops, and cheese. Mix well. Divide rice mixture into 4 portions and form patties. In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat. Cook rice patties until browned on each side and cheese begins to melt. Drain and set aside.
3. For sauce: In a large skillet, melt 1/4 cup of butter, add onions, and cook until tender. Whisk in flour, Creole seasoning, garlic, and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add water, half-and-half, and whisk to mix well. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Set aside.
4. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In another large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, and then saute shrimp until no longer pink. Pour in the cream sauce, fold in crab meat, and heat thoroughly.
5. To serve, make a bed of rice using 1/4 cup of remaining rice, for each serving. Place an eggplant medallion on top of the rice bed, drizzle with sauce, top with a rice patty, drizzle with a little more sauce, and then top with another eggplant medallion. You should have 4 stacks; each will have 2 eggplant medallions and 1 rice patty. Pour remaining sauce over stacks and sprinkle with chopped onion tops.