Roasted Eggplant with Gruyere

Adapted from The New Basics Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword eggplant, gruyere cheese, vegetarian

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 126kcal

2 eggplants medium to large, scrubbed clean
2 cloves garlic peeled and slivered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter You could probably use olive oil for sautéing the mushrooms, but I never have.
¾ cup grated Gruyere cheese plus extra for garnish
1 egg lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F/190° C.
Use the point of a sharp knife to cut small slits in the eggplants. Wiggle the knife sideways to open each slit just wide enough to insert a sliver of garlic. Wrap the eggplants in foil and place in the roasting pan. Roast until soft, about 90 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Keep the oven on.
Remove the foil and cut the eggplants in half from stem to bottom. Place in a colander over the roasting pan and drain any of the bitter liquid.
Scoop out the pulp and the garlic slivers and put them into the bowl of the food processor. Cube 1 tablespoon of the butter and add it to the bowl. Process until smooth. Transfer the mixture into the large bowl and stir in the Gruyere, beaten egg, and the sour cream. Set aside.
In the large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter (or olive oil) over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until they soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Fold into the eggplant mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the mixture into the baking pan or pie pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Serve immediately with a little extra Gruyere grated on top of each serving.