I’m Stuffed

I’m Stuffed!

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIE FINDLAY

Shrimp Stuffed Avocado

If there is one thing i can count on to upgrade the WOW factor in a meal - it’s making something that I can stuff. And the good news is you can basically stuff everything.

Take for instance the tried and true turkey - stuffing this holiday poultry turns it from ho-hum to show-stopper. We place that bird right in the middle of the table as the masterpiece.

Well, we can do that with so many other foods and elevate them to WOW as well. The three recipes below are just the tip of your stuffing options. You can substitute your favourite vegetable, fruit, or meat quite easily.

Example: If you don’t like the shrimp in the stuffed avocado, how about replacing the shrimp with grapefruit segments? Chop up the avocado. Mix everything together. Remove the membrane from the grapefruit and stuff it with the mixture.

If eggplant isn’t your thing, substitute zucchini, tomato or squash. While the salmon makes a delicious pocket for the seafood mixture in the Seafood Stuffed Salmon, you could easily use trout, halibut or cod.

Only a small amount of time is needed to create a pocket in whatever food you choose, and you will be rewarded with an elegant, delicious, sophisticated meal. So, just stuff it! Shrimp Stuffed Avocado

Stuffs 2 halves of avocado

2 Tbs (30 mL) mayonnaise 2 tsp (10 mL) lime juice To taste hot sauce To taste sea salt ½ cup baby shrimp ½ stalk celery, finely diced 1/3 small red pepper, finely diced 1 Tbs red onion, finely diced 1 Tbs parsley, finely chopped 1 avocado

1. In a small bowl, add mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce (if using), and salt, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust

seasoning to your preference. 2. In another small bowl add the shrimp, celery, red pepper, red onion and parsley, and stir to combine. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the shrimp mixture. 3. Cut avocado in half and remove the seed. Add shrimp mixture to both sides of the avocado.

This recipe will also make a delicious salad in 3 easy steps: 1. Prep lettuce leaves. 2. Remove avocado skin and chop avocado into bite size chunks. 3. Combine everything together.

Note:

You can also use larger shrimp and cut them into small pieces.

Stuffed Eggplaant

Stuffed Eggplant

Stuffs 2 small eggplants

2 small eggplants Pinch salt Drizzle olive oil

Filling for Eggplants

1-2 Tbs olive oil 1 small carrot, small dice 1 stalk celery, small dice 1 shallot, small dice 4 cloves garlic, rough chop 1 cup lentils, pre-cooked or canned

Seafood Stuffed Salmon

½ tsp dried thyme 1½ tsp dried oregano ¼ cup (60 mL) stock ½ tsp salt 1 lemon, zested ¼ cup walnuts, rough chop 1 Tbs parsley, fine chop

1. Preheat oven to 400º F. 2. Cut a deep “V” through the length of the eggplants. Season with salt and olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, cook the carrot, celery and shallots for 6 minutes. 4. Add garlic and continue cooking another 3 minutes. Add the lentils, herbs (thyme and oregano), and stir to combine. 5. Add stock and reduce until almost dry. Season with salt. Remove from heat. 6. Add lemon zest, walnuts and parsley. Spoon into eggplant. 7. Reduce oven to 375º F and bake another 20 to 30 minutes.

Tahini drizzle

1 Tbs (15 mL) tahini 1 Tbs (15 mL) lemon juice Water to thin to desired consistency Pinch sea salt

In a small bowl, combine tahini and lemon juice with a whisk. Thin with water to desired consistency and season with sea salt to taste. Serve eggplant with a drizzle of the tahini dressing and a side salad to complete the meal.

Note:

Half a baby eggplant would be the perfect size to serve as an appetizer. Seafood Stuffed Salmon

Stuffs 2 salmon steaks

½ cup bacon, small dice ¼ cup onion, small dice 3 cloves garlic, rough chop 5 shrimp - 21/25 10 small scallops 2 slices lox, rough chop 4 sprigs parsley To taste dill (optional) 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1½ Tbs goat cheese or Boursin cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. 2. In a medium sauté pan, add bacon, onion and garlic and sauté 4 minutes over medium heat. 3. Roughly chop the shrimp, scallops and lox into small pieces, and add to the pan. Let cook for a minute and remove from heat. 4. Roughly chop the parsley and dill (if using) and stir into the pan mixture. Add juice and zest of the lemon. When slightly cooled, stir in your cheese of choice. 5. For each piece of salmon, cut a pocket into the belly of the salmon, leaving the edges intact. Stuff the seafood mixture inside the pocket. Lay salmon on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until salmon is cooked through (depending on size and thickness of salmon). 6. Remove from oven and serve with a drizzle of lemon and a sprinkle of parsley.

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.