Eggplant Charlotte
SERVES 6
INGREDIENTS:
After the mom-in-law came back from London, she BEGGED me to recreate this recipe from a wonderful vegetarian restaurant called "The Gate". Earning brownie points just became very delicious. 6 Large Eggplants
Olive Oil for Grilling and Sautéing
Salt and Pepper To Taste
2 Shallots, minced
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Lb. Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Handful of fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, minced
½ Cup Pine nuts, toasted
1 Cup Dried Sun Dried Tomatoes, placed in hot water and sliced
4 oz. Goat Cheese
½ Cup Heavy Cream
2 Large Eggs, beaten
View Details for Eggplant Charlotte
Method:
 -To prepare the eggplants, remove the stem. Then slice a ¼” round from the narrowest part of the eggplant (this round will end up being the top of the charlotte). Stand the eggplant up and make ¼” slices lengthwise.
-Brush the eggplant slices liberally with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the eggplant for 3 minutes on each side until they’re tender and have nice grill marks.
-Arrange 6 small charlotte molds on a cookie sheet. Place the rounds of eggplant on the bottom of each mold. Place the slices around the circumference of the mold, allowing them to overlap slightly. The slices should hang off the edge of the mold by several inches. Set aside.
-Heat 2 Tbs. of Olive Oil in a skillet. Saute the shallots and garlic for a minute until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and sauté on high heat for 5 minutes until well browned. Add in the pine nuts and fresh herbs and remove from the heat.
-To make the goat cheese custard, heat the cream and eggs in a small saucepot on medium high. Stir slowly as the custard heats. After a few minutes the custard will thicken. Turn off the heat and whisk in the goat cheese until smooth. Add salt and pepper.
-Fill the eggplant molds by placing 2 Tbs. of the mushroom filling on the bottom of the molds followed by 1 Tbs. of the sliced sun dried tomatoes and finally 1 Tbs. of the goat cheese custard. Fold the slices of eggplant over the filling to cover up.
-Bake the charlottes for 15 minutes at 350F. Unmold and serve garnished with pine nuts and chopped chives.
 
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