Potato Crusted Eggplant

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Since I went plant based in 2015, I’ve always been inspired to recreating classic French dishes. I’m excited to start off this blog post with the re-creation of Paul Bocuse’s legendary red mullet with potato scales. We're making it vegan, of course, using a brined eggplant cooked to perfection with potato “scales” . We are also including 2 vegan french style sauces, a traditional cream sauce and a mushroom infused balsamic glaze.

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Potato Crusted Eggplant

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French

Keyword: Eggplant, French, Vegan

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings: People

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Those Vegan Chefs

Print Recipe

Ingredients

BRINE

3 cups Water
1 sheet Kombu

1 Tbsp Kelp Granules
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 1/2 Tsp Cane Sugar

1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Dry Vermouth
1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar

3 dashes Bitters

CREAM SAUCE

3 Shallots peeled and sliced
2 cups White Wine

1/4 cup Dry Vermouth
1 Orange juiced
3 Thyme Sprigs

1 Bay Leaf
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Yukon Gold Potato cut into small pieces

1 cup Cashew Pieces chopped
1 cup Plant Milk
1 Rosemary Sprig

BALSAMIC REDUCTION

2 cups Balsamic Vinegar
1 pack Dried Mushrooms ours included shiitake, wood ear, white button, cloud ear, oyster
1 Pinch Kosher Salt

1 Pinch cracked Black Pepper

EGGPLANT POTATO CRUST

3-4 Baby Yukon Potato scrubbed and dried
1/4 cup Potato Starch

Instructions

BRINE METHOD

Place in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

EGGPLANT METHOD

Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the eggplant into the brine soaking for 15 minutes. Flip and soak for 15 minutes.
Remove the eggplant and place in a tofu press for 5 minutes. After pressing, place on a paper towel.

CREAM SAUCE METHOD

In a non-reactive pot add the shallots, white wine, dry vermouth, orange juice, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, garlic cloves, cashews, and Yukon potato. Simmer over low heat, the liquid should reduce by half. The flavors need to intensify and develop, this only happens when liquids reduce slowly. This should take about 40 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, place the liquid in a high speed blender, start to puree on slow for 30 seconds, then increase the speed, we are looking to see how the puree is starting to form, if it’s to thick add 1/4 cup plant milk, the sauce needs to be in that goldilocks space of “just right”, not to thick but not thin. Puree until it’s smooth enough and you can not feel any particles on your tongue.
Place the Finished sauce in a pan and adjust the salt level to taste. Add a 1 large sprig of rosemary to the sauce and allow the rosemary to steep, the goal here is to add the freshness and brightness of the rosemary in a gentle manner.

BALSAMIC REDUCTION METHOD

Place 2 cups balsamic vinegar in a pot, adding dried mushrooms, gently cook for about 20 minutes. The liquid should reduce to about a half cup. Remove the mushrooms scraping off any reduction back into the pot.
Add salt and black pepper. Set aside to cool

EGGPLANT POTATO CRUST METHOD

Using a mandolin slice the potatoes thin. Make a stack of sliced potatoes, using a 1” diameter round cutter to make small disc.
Lightly dust the eggplant and discs with potato starch.
Start to place the potato discs in a shingling style on the eggplant, gently press the potato down into the eggplant.
Heat a large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add enough grape seed oil cover the bottom plus a little extra.
Gently place the eggplant, potato side down. Using your hand press the eggplant down to flatten, this will help the potatoes brown evenly.

ASSEMBLY

You can be as fancy as you’d like here. Place the Cream Sauce on the plate. Place the eggplant onto the plate, add some reduction sauce ( you can use a toothpick to create a feathering style) add the mushrooms and enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional Values are an estimate only.

Nutrition

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Potato Crusted Eggplant

Potato Crusted Eggplant