Peak Fresh Produce® Eggplant Casserole

Directions

  1.  In a saucepan warm the milk then reserve.
  2. Warm butter flavored oil in a stock pot or large saucepan. Whisk in flour to form a blond roux. Pour warm milk into pan with roux whisking to prevent lumps from forming.
  3. Stick the cloves into the onion. Add cloves skewered onion, and bay leaf to pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove the clove skewered onion and bay leaf and discard.
  4. Whisk in the six ounces of cheese to the sauce to thickened and then reserve.
  5. Lay eggplant slices on a parchment lined sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit at room temperature for one hour. Brush off excess salt.
  6. Warm olive oil in a sauté pan, over medium high heat. Cook eggplants for 1-2 minutes per side. Then reserve.
  7. Ladle a potion of the bechamel in bottom of a casserole dish then layer the eggplant and tomatoes. Sprinkle with some of the basil and oregano followed by cheddar cheese. Repeat with the final layer of eggplant and tomatoes.
  8. Heat oven to 400° and bake for 15 minutes. Then serve.

Ingredients

  • 2 ea Peak Fresh Produce Eggplant, skin on, sliced into quarter inch wheels
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sea salt
  • 4 tbsp Roma® Oil, Olive
  • 8 ea Peak Fresh Produce® Tomato(es), Roma , sliced
  • 1 qt Nature's Best Dairy® Milk, Whole
  • 1 cup West Creek® All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Brilliance Butter Flavored Oil
  • 1/2 ea Peak Fresh Produce® Onion(s), Yellow
  • 2 ea cloves, whole
  • 1 ea bay leaf
  • 6 oz Bacio® White Cheddar Cheese, shredded
  • 2 tbsp Peak Fresh Produce® Basil, minced
  • 2 tbsp Peak Fresh Produce® Oregano, minced
  • 2 cups Bacio® White Cheddar Cheese, shredded, for the layers
  • 6 leaves ea Peak Fresh Produce® Sage, for garnish