Recipe Tres quesos (3 cheese) stuffed eggplant with salsa escalivada and garlic allioli

medtran49

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Recipe courtesy of Chef Norman Van Aken. Adapted to a more traditional cooking method, charcoal/wood burning oven/grill.
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Makes 4 appetizer/tapas servings or 2 main course. Can be doubled easily.

1 cup Salsa Escalivada (recipe below)
Roasted garlic allioli (recipe below)
1 large eggplant cut lengthwise into 8 planks, about 1/3 inch thick, salted, weighted for at least 30 minutes, rinsed, patted dry
1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, room temperature
2 ounces Manchego cheese, grated (scant 1 cup)
Salt and pepper to taste

Brush the eggplant planks with olive oil, lightly season with salt and pepper. Grill until softened, tender, and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool some.

Preheat oven to 400 F (or heat your Big Green Egg or similar to 400 with wood or wood and charcoal mix).

Mix the cheeses together until well combined. Place a scant 1/4 cup at the end of each plank, dividing the cheese mixture evenly, then roll up.

Spread the Salsa Escalivada on the bottom of a baking dish large enough to hold the rolls. Place the eggplant rolls on top of the Salsa. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

To serve, spoon some of the Salsa on a plate, top with eggplant roll(s) and drizzle with some of the roasted garlic allioli.

Roasted garlic allioli
Recipe can be doubled
1/8 cup roasted garlic, mashed into paste
1/2 egg yolk
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
water
Salt and pepper

Place the roasted garlic and 1/2 egg yolk in a blender or mixer bowl and blend together. Add the lemon juice and blend. SLOWLY, a few drops at a time in the beginning, add the oils to form an emulsion. Once the emulsion has formed, oil can be added in a thin, steady strem. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water if and as needed to form a mayo consistency. Keep refrigerated and use within 2 days.

To roast garlic, peel about 1/3 to 1/2 cup garlic cloves, place in a small ramekin, add a couple pinches of dried thyme, a pinch of dried rosemary, and 5-6 black peppercorns. Cover with EVOO. Cover ramekin tightly with foil and bake at 300 F for about an hour. Allow to cool.

Salsa Escalivada

1/2 of a small eggplant, 1 inch dice, salted, weighted for at least 30 minutes, rinsed and dried
1-1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 large red onion
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 yellow bell pepper
1 celery stalk, 1/2 inch dice
1/2 small fennel bulb
Rounded 3/4 tsp sugar
1/8 cup roasted garlic oil
1/8 cup red wine
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp tomato juice
1-1/4 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1/8 cup pitted black olives, preferably Nicoise, rinsed and drained, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp small capers, rinsed and drained, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper red onion, bell peppers, poblano, and fennel, then drizzle with 1 Tbsp EVOO, toss until evenly coated. Grill until soft and tender with a light char. The red onion and fennel will take longer than the peppers. Allow to cool. Remove majority of skin off peppers, then chop veges into 1/2 inch dice and place in a large bowl, except set fennel aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter. Add celery, season with S&P, and cook until lightly caramelized, about 8-9 minutes. Add fennel and sugar, then continue cooking 1-2 minutes until glazed. Add to other veges in bowl.

Wipe pan out and add the roasted garlic oil and the remaining butter. Cook the eggplant cubes over medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes, Add to veges in bowl. Mix gently.

Place the red wine, red wine vinegar, tomato juice, basil and parsley in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce for 4-6 minutes or until about 1/4 cup liquid remains. Add the olives and capers, mix, then add to the vegetable mixture and gently mix.
 
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