truffled eggplant stacks

It is not quite eggplant season yet in NYC, but I am jumping the gun this year.  After a long, hard winter filled with snowstorms up and down the east coast, I am buying expensive, unseasonal eggplants and tomatoes.  Want to know why?  Because in my mind, winter cannot last much longer.  It just can't.

I swear, if it does not get warm for good any day now, I will post ice cream recipes in protest until someone up there flips on the 'summer' switch.

But these lovely eggplant stacks are probably better for that in-between season than they are for the height of summer, when dinner can be nothing more than fresh berries, bread and cheese.  These are for dinner on a night that's still a bit chilly, like tonight.  They have a hint of delicious summer flavor, but the warm, hearty preparation that we all get used to during the winter.  Needless to say, I licked the plate clean.

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Truffled Eggplant Stacks Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant, sliced into 3/4" rounds

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

1 shallot, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp truffle oil

1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for serving)

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush eggplant rounds on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place the eggplant slices on it, evenly spaced. Bake approximately 30 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan on medium heat, saute the mushrooms, garlic and shallot in 1/3 cup of water and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add salt and pepper as desired. When the mushrooms have released their juices, add the tomatoes and cook down for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the parmesan cheese and set the mixture on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant rounds are done.

Transfer the eggplant to plates and top with the mushroom-tomato mixture. Sprinkle additional parmesan over the stacks, and drizzle the truffle oil over everything. Serve warm.

Serves 6