Spicy Szechuan Eggplant

(Recipe courtesy of Westchase District Farmers Market customer)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound eggplant
• 1/2 pound grass fed beef
• 1/3 pound fresh gulf shrimp
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large green onions, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

Directions

1. Remove the eggplant stem and cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. In a medium bowl, combines the soy sauce, chicken stock sugar, ground pepper. Stir together well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the corstarchand water, and set aside.
3. Coat a large, deep pan with cooking sprayover high heat and allow a few minutes for it to get very hot. Sautee the garlic, half of the green onion, ginger for 3—5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in the ground beef or pork and cook for 3 more minutes, again stirring constantly , until browned.
5. Pour the eggplant into the pan and stir all together. Pour the reserved soy sauce mixture over all, cover the pan, reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking.
6. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and let heat until thickened. Finally, stir in the rest of the green onion and the olive oil.
7. Serve over hot rice.