Cajun Nut Collerettes

Dice the eggplant, place in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt, and let drain for 20 minutes.

Quickly rinse the contents of the colander under water and pat the eggplant cubes dry with a clean kitchen towel. Peel the garlic cloves.

Meanwhile, cook the collerettes according to the package instructions, drain, and set aside.

Wash the mushrooms and trim the earthy ends.

Cut the ham hock, onions, and mushrooms into large chunks.

In a food processor, chop the eggplants, onions, ham hock, mushrooms, and garlic; do not puree, but rather achieve a coarse mince.

In a large skillet, sauté all the minced ingredients with 30g of butter and 6 tablespoons of oil.

Season with pepper, add a teaspoon of paprika and a teaspoon of cumin.

Sprinkle with dried thyme and oregano.

Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, adjusting the seasoning if necessary.

The mixture should be very tender. Meanwhile, prepare the cashew breadcrumbs by pulsing the nuts in a processor.

In a large serving dish, toss the collerettes with the minced vegetables and ham hock, sprinkle with the cashews and parmesan, and add two or three grinds of black pepper.

Serve hot.