Eggplant Cannellini
Recipe courtesy of Edward Leonard, CMC, Director of Culinary Operations/Executive Chef, The Polo Club of Boca Raton, Boca Raton, Fla.
Ingredients
- For Bechamel Sauce
- whole milk - 2 1/2 cups
- fresh nutmeg - 2 or 3 gratings
- butter - 1 Tbsp.
- all purpose flour - 2 Tbsps.
- kosher salt - 1/2 tsp.
- freshly ground white or black pepper - to taste
- extra virgin olive oil - 5 tsps.
- eggplant - 1 large glove (1 ¾ to 2 lbs.)
- For Eggplant Filling
- extra virgin olive oil - 1 Tbsp.
- butter - 2 Tbsps.
- mire poux - 1/2 cup, small dice, made from 1/3 onion, 1/3 carrot and 1/3 garlic
- cremini mushrooms - 8, trimmed and diced
- white wine - 3 ozs.
- eggplant meat - from roasting of eggplant
- ricotta cheese - ½ cup fresh, hand-beaten
- white bread - ½ cup very small diced, sautéed in butter
- freshly ground white or black pepper - 1/8 tsp.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese - ¾ cup grated
- For Crepes
- eggs - 3 large
- water - 1 ½
- all purpose flour - 1 ¼
- salt - ½ tsp.
- unsalted butter - 1 Tbsp., melted
Instructions
- 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.
