Eggplant Cannellini
Submitted by Edward Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations/Executive Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton, Boca Raton, Fla.
For the Bechamel Sauce:
2 ½ cups whole milk
2 or 3 gratings fresh nutmeg
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
to taste freshly ground white or black pepper
5 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large globe eggplant (1 ¾ to 2 lbs.)
For the Eggplant Filling:
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
½ cup mire poux, small dice, made from 1/3 onion, 1/3 carrot and 1/3 garlic
8 cremini mushrooms, trimmed and diced
3 ozs. white wine
eggplant meat (from roasting of eggplant)
½ cup fresh, hand-beaten ricotta cheese
½ cup very small diced white bread, sautéed in butter
1/8 tsp. freshly ground white or black pepper
¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For Crepes:
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups water
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Procedure:
• Break up eggs with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl and stir in water until combined (don’t beat). Sift in flour and salt, then stir batter until just combined. Force through a medium-mesh sieve into another bowl.
• Lightly brush an 8-inch, nonstick skillet with melted butter and heat over moderate heat until hot. Ladle about 1/4 cup batter into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom, then pour excess back into bowl. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crepe.)
• Cook until underside is just set and lightly browned, about 30 seconds. Then invert crepe onto a clean kitchen towel to cool completely. Make at least 11 more crepes in same manner, brushing skillet with butter as needed and stacking crepes in three piles.
Final Procedure:
• In a stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk until it begins to steam (about five minutes).
• Remove from the heat and add the nutmeg reserve and keep hot.
• In a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, heat butter and make your blonde roux.
• Whisking vigorously, pour in ½ cup of hot milk to the roux. When smooth, pour in the remaining milk, while whisking constantly.
• Cook over medium heat until thickened and smooth;
season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Strain sauce and place in bowl with 4 tbsp. whole butter on top, and cover.
• Preheat oven to 400º F.
• Cut off the stem end of the eggplant. Cut in half and with a small knife, criss-cross the inside of the eggplant.
• Season with salt and pepper. Brush inside with olive oil, then roast in oven face down on a greased and parchment-lined baking sheet at 400º F., until just tender.
• Remove from oven and let cool. Take out meat of the eggplant and dice.
• In a stainless-steel large sauté pan, heat oil and butter. Add mire poux and mushrooms, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook until soft.
• In a bowl, add all items and mix well. Adjust seasoning.
• Spoon filling into crepes and bake as needed; top with sauce.
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