EGGPLANT CONFIT with basil crumbs, eggplant-garlic purée, and goat cheese cream
INGREDIENTS:
Eggplant confit:
- 500g eggplant
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs 2 garlic cloves
- 100ml olive oil
- Basil crumbs:
- 60g parmesan or any other hard cheese
- 100g garlic cloves
- 100g basil
- 30g panko breadcrumbs Milk, to cover the garlic
- Oil, for frying
- Salt, to taste
Goat cheese cream:
- 100g goat cheese
- 15-20ml honey
- 10-15ml olive oil
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Eggplant-garlic purée:
- 1 whole garlic 200g eggplant
- 50g double cream Oil, for frying
Feuilles de brick or
spring roll pastry:
- 3 layers of spring rolls or filo pastry
MAIN
- Butter
Tomato jam:
- 450g tomatoes
- 50g sugar
Preferred green leaf salad or microgreens, for serving
METHOD:
Eggplant confit:
Peel the eggplant and cut it lengthwise into four slices about 1cm thick, then cut them into shape (5x10cm). Season with salt and set aside for one hour. Pat dry and place in a vacuum bag with garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary, and olive oil, seal without air. Add water to a big pot, bring to a boil, lower the heat to a minimum, and cook the eggplant for 10-15 minutes until soft but holds the shape. Take out of the water and let cool down in an ice bath. Remove from the bag and dry on a paper towel.
Basil crumbs:
Preheat the oven to 50-60°C. Grate the cheese on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and dry in the oven for about one hour.
To make garlic chips, finely chop the garlic with a mandolin or vegetable peeler. Put in a pot, add enough milk to cover, then bring to a boil and drain. Repeat this process three more times, using fresh milk every time, to eliminate any astringency. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or simply in a pot to 110°C and fry until lightly golden and crispy. Pat dry.
To make fried basil, rinse basil leaves and dry them. Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or simply in a pot to at 160°C and fry basil until crispy but still green in color.
To make basil crumbs, combine all pre-prepared ingredients with panko breadcrumbs, season with salt to taste.
Eggplant-garlic purée:
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Wrap whole garlic in tin foil and bake for about 40-50 minutes. Peel and cut the eggplant into small dices and fry in a saucepot with oil until soft and almost dry. Blend with fried garlic and cream until smooth consistency, season with salt. Set aside to cool down.
Goat cheese cream:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
Feuilles de brick or spring roll pastry:
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Make three layers of pastry with melted butter in each layer, then cut it in 5x10cm shape. Place between two layers of parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.
Tomato jam:
Blanch the tomatoes in hot water, then peel off the skin and dice into cubes. Combine with sugar in a saucepot and simmer for about one hour until thick jam forms. Set aside.
SERVING:
Put tomato jam on the eggplant confit and warm it up in the oven at 160°C for 5-8 minutes. Serve them on a plate, arrange Feuilles de brick on top, add the basil crumbs and microgreens along with the goat cheese cream and eggplant-garlic purée on the side, add the baked garlic and garnish with basil crumbs and drizzles of olive oil.
