Eggplant Casserole Bilello

In the NutriGuide test kitchen, Chief Culinary Specialist Stewart Lucas refined this classic Eggplant Casserole Bilello to celebrate vibrant, wholesome ingredients. By prioritizing aromatic layering and precise thermal control, this recipe achieves remarkable culinary depth while preserving natural micronutrients and wholesome texture.

At NutriGuide, our mission is to ensure that home cooking is both accessible and culinary-grade. When executing Eggplant Casserole Bilello, focus on fresh aromatics, dry surface contact for proper searing, and allowing the food to rest before serving.

• Prep Time: 2 Hours
• Yields: 8-10 Servings
• Comment:
• Salvatore Mancuso arrived in New
• Orleans with his young wife in 1870.
• After working for many years on White
• Plantation, he saved enough money to
• buy his own farm and had a family of
• his own. One of his daughters, Vita,
• married Antonio Bilello and they
• started a family eventually consisting

Chef's Sourcing & Quality Tips:

• Produce & Aromatics: Always use fresh whole aromatics and seasonal herbs rather than dehydrated powders when possible.
• Cooking Oils: Utilize cold-pressed oils with appropriate smoke points such as extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Salt & Seasoning: Season from a modest height above the pan to ensure an even, uniform crystalline dispersion.

Follow these sequential steps with careful attention to sensory cues and cooking temperatures:

Step 1: Technique & Execution

Since there were no girls in the family, the second oldest boy, Salvatore, was responsible for helping with the children and cooking while the oldest son worked on the farm

Step 2: Technique & Execution

Salvatore soon became an accomplished cook and, when he grew up, opened his own restaurant in Thibodaux

Step 3: Technique & Execution

Today, Bilello's Restaurant is a landmark on Bayou Lafourche

Step 4: Technique & Execution

Ingredients: ● 6 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick ● 1 tbsp peanut oil ● 1 cup diced onions ● 1 cup diced celery ● 1 cup diced bell peppers ● ¼ cup minced garlic ● 2 cups water ● 3 cups tomato sauce ● 2 tsp chopped oregano ● ¼ cup chopped basil ● salt and black pepper to taste ● 1½ tsps granulated garlic ● 1½ cup Parmesan cheese ● 6 hard boiled eggs, sliced Method: Preheat oven to 400ºF

Step 5: Technique & Execution

Sprinkle salt over eggplant and place in a large bowl or colander, with a heavy weight on top to help squeeze the water from the vegetable

Step 6: Technique & Execution

Set aside for approximately 1 hour