I can has gor-meh?
Crab and Eggplant Cannelloni with Balsamic Cream Sauce
Food style: Pan-AsianMediterranean
Makes ~30 rolls, 4-6 servings
Sauce
~2 oz goat cheese *
1/2 C lebni (kefir version of sour cream)*
1-1.5 C half and half (amount needed will vary)
1/4 C balsamic vinegar (the higher quality, the better)
1 T butter
1 T flour (not whole wheat!)
herbs to taste like dill, cilantro, fines herbes, savory, tarragon
Make a roux -- melt butter at low heat, before it begins sizzling add flour and combine thoroughly, continue cooking at a low heat for about 5 min., stirring constantly. Add lebni and goat cheese, stir to combine (will be clumpy for a few minutes). Add balsamic vinegar, stir thoroughly. Add milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring thoroughly to incorporate.
Sauce should start rather thick (like pudding), but end up somewhat thin (like a very rich soup). When done, sauce should at least be thick enough to "coat a spoon" (stick to back of wooden spoon and not fill in the channel when you run your finger through it). Add herbs last and stir thoroughly.
* ricotta and regular sour cream will do in a pinch, but sauce will be much more bland
Filling
2 cans crab meat
3 japanese eggplants (these are the long phallic ones) -- Cook ahead!
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 egg whites (whole egg might be fine)
1/2 C bread crumbs, as needed, finely crushed/sifted
1-2 T black olives, finely chopped/minced
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped/minced
1/4 t salt
sprinkling of seasonings like cumin, cilantro/coriander, pepper, paprika (if it's fresh), cinnamon, nutmeg, celery salt
Split eggplants in half lengthwise, coat lightly in olive oil and roast at 400 for about 15-20 minutes, or until soft to the fork throughout (but not yet complete mush). Let cool, peel, refridgerate overnight, drain and chop coarsely.
Sautee onions until almost golden brown (brown = flavor!).
Mix all ingredients thoroughly but gently. It should end up somewhat wet (we'll need the moisture to help cook the pasta). Let sit long enough for bread crumbs to soak up moisture.
Take "Medium Wonton Wrappers" (which are clevery misnamed pasta squares) and roll up about a small spoonful of filling in each wrapper. The wrapper should overlap thoroughly -- think tex-mex flautas. (However, a double-layer all the way around means you don't have enough filling. No bueno.)
Lay all the rolls in one layer in a glass baking dish (i used 13x9 and squeezed about 30 in it). Don't overcrowd or they'll stick together and not cook thoroughly.
Slather the sauce, covering all thoroughly.
Bake at 375' for ~20 minutes, or until the sauce begins to brown.
Watch for exposed outer edges of the pasta getting too dry/browned.
Food style: Pan-AsianMediterranean
Makes ~30 rolls, 4-6 servings
Sauce
~2 oz goat cheese *
1/2 C lebni (kefir version of sour cream)*
1-1.5 C half and half (amount needed will vary)
1/4 C balsamic vinegar (the higher quality, the better)
1 T butter
1 T flour (not whole wheat!)
herbs to taste like dill, cilantro, fines herbes, savory, tarragon
Make a roux -- melt butter at low heat, before it begins sizzling add flour and combine thoroughly, continue cooking at a low heat for about 5 min., stirring constantly. Add lebni and goat cheese, stir to combine (will be clumpy for a few minutes). Add balsamic vinegar, stir thoroughly. Add milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring thoroughly to incorporate.
Sauce should start rather thick (like pudding), but end up somewhat thin (like a very rich soup). When done, sauce should at least be thick enough to "coat a spoon" (stick to back of wooden spoon and not fill in the channel when you run your finger through it). Add herbs last and stir thoroughly.
* ricotta and regular sour cream will do in a pinch, but sauce will be much more bland
Filling
2 cans crab meat
3 japanese eggplants (these are the long phallic ones) -- Cook ahead!
1/2 onion, diced
1-2 egg whites (whole egg might be fine)
1/2 C bread crumbs, as needed, finely crushed/sifted
1-2 T black olives, finely chopped/minced
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped/minced
1/4 t salt
sprinkling of seasonings like cumin, cilantro/coriander, pepper, paprika (if it's fresh), cinnamon, nutmeg, celery salt
Split eggplants in half lengthwise, coat lightly in olive oil and roast at 400 for about 15-20 minutes, or until soft to the fork throughout (but not yet complete mush). Let cool, peel, refridgerate overnight, drain and chop coarsely.
Sautee onions until almost golden brown (brown = flavor!).
Mix all ingredients thoroughly but gently. It should end up somewhat wet (we'll need the moisture to help cook the pasta). Let sit long enough for bread crumbs to soak up moisture.
Take "Medium Wonton Wrappers" (which are clevery misnamed pasta squares) and roll up about a small spoonful of filling in each wrapper. The wrapper should overlap thoroughly -- think tex-mex flautas. (However, a double-layer all the way around means you don't have enough filling. No bueno.)
Lay all the rolls in one layer in a glass baking dish (i used 13x9 and squeezed about 30 in it). Don't overcrowd or they'll stick together and not cook thoroughly.
Slather the sauce, covering all thoroughly.
Bake at 375' for ~20 minutes, or until the sauce begins to brown.
Watch for exposed outer edges of the pasta getting too dry/browned.