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VEGAN MASCARPONE POLENTA AND GARLIC CRUSTED ROASTED EGGPLANT
Those Vegan Chefs

Garlic Crusted Eggplant with Mascarpone Polenta

5 from 1 vote
Polenta is a classic partner to roasted eggplant. This eggplant recipe is not your normal recipe. I have taken it to a new level of flavor. Garlic confit is a driver of flavor, umami, and creaminess. The eggplant is coated with garlic confit and topped with an aromatic Thai Basil breadcrumb topping. 
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 642
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Miso mascarpone
  • ½ cup cashews blanched and soaked
  • 6 oz silken tofu
  • 1 Tbsp miso paste red
  • ¼ cup garlic confit oil see recipe
  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp salt kosher
  • 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • ¼ cup water
Creamy Polenta
  • 1 cup polenta
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • ½ cup plant milk
  • ⅓ cup miso mascarpone
  • ½ tsp salt kosher
Balsamic Roasted Eggplant
  • 2 globe eggplant
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ tsp salt kosher
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup garlic confit smashed with a fork, oil reserved. see recipe
Thai Basil Panko Bread Crumbs Topping
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 3 Tbsp Thai basil chopped
  • ¼ tsp salt kosher
Garnish
  • ¼ cup scallions thinly sliced on the bias, soaking in cold water.
  • ¼ cup Thai basil chiffonade cut

Method
 

How to Make Miso Mascarpone
  1. Boil the cashews for 2 minutes, and allow the cashews to soak for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse the cashews.
  2. Using a high-speed blender, puree the tofu, cashews, water, kosher salt, rice wine vinegar, red miso, and maple syrup. Puree until very smooth, slowly add the garlic confit oil while the blender is pureeing on medium speed.
  3. Pour the miso mascarpone into a bowl, fold the nutritional yeast and adjust the salt level.
  4. Place in the refrigerator to cool and set.
How to make Creamy Polenta
  1. Bring the vegetable stock to a boil, slowly whisk the polenta into the stock, and reduce the heat to low. Continue to stir every 5 minutes. Cover while not stirring. Cooking for 15 minutes.
  2. Once the polenta has started to thicken, add the plant milk, and continue to cook for another 30 minutes. Make sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pot.
  3. To finish add the miso mascarpone into the polenta. Keep warm until time to plate.
How to make Balsamic Roasted Eggplant
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
  2. Cut the eggplant in half length-wise. Score the eggplant about 1/4inch in-depth cutting a diamond shape.
  3. Combine the Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil, and whisk to combine and emulsify.
  4. Season the eggplant with a sprinkling of kosher salt. Brush the balsamic glaze generously over the scored eggplant. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake for 8 minutes.
  6. Slather the garlic confit over the eggplant. Cook for another 5 minutes. Set aside.
How to make Thai Basil Bread Crumb Topping
  1. Combine the panko bread crumbs with Thai basil, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Mix to evenly coat the panko bread crabs with olive oil. Set aside.
How to Finish the Eggplant
  1. Preheat the broiler.
  2. Spread a thick layer of the Thai Basil Bread Crumb onto the eggplant.
  3. Place the eggplant under the broiler, cooking until crispy and golden brown.
  4. Place 5 small spoonfuls of the Miso Marscapone around the plate.
  5. Pour a generous spoonful of the creamy polenta into the middle of the plate.
  6. Place the eggplant on top of the polenta.
  7. Garnish the eggplant with the sliced scallions in the Thai basil.

Notes

Nutritional values are an estimtate.