CRISP SCARLET EGGPLANT FILLED WITH PORK SAUSAGE RAGOUT AND BANANA FLOWER

2013

INGREDIENTS:

8 scarlet eggplants (typical bitter-tasting vegetable in Brazil)
25 gr garlic, chopped
40 gr onion, chopped 
50 ml oil 
250 gr pork sausage 
150 ml meat velouté sauce
80 gr Minas cheese, semi-ripe 
2 banana flower cores 
Salt
Black pepper
Banana flower 
Chopped parsley: 
80 gr fubá (yellow corn flour) 
300 ml meat stock
30 gr butter 
 2 eggs
00 pork skin for frying
Sauce: 
Chilli pepper, finely chopped 
30 gr onion 
30 gr butter 
60 ml white wine 
300 ml meat stock 
2 lemons (for juice) 
150 ml cream
150 gr carrot, grated 
40 gr sugar
Salt 
30 gr saffron

PREPARATION:

Cut the scarlet eggplants in half, leaving the stem and the part to be filled. Peel and remove the central pulp. Boil the sausage and chop into small pieces. In a pan sauté the oil, garlic, onion and sausage, then add the chopped scarlet eggplant and the meat velouté sauce. Add some of the grated cheese and season with salt. The filling should be creamy. Grind the pork crackling to flour. Dip the outside of the eggplants into egg and flour and deep fry. Fill the eggplants with the sausage, sprinkle with cheese and heat in the oven just before serving. Remove the outside of the banana flower until the light part is reached. Cut through the middle into thin strips. Boil in water with a few drops of vinegar for 3-4 minutes. Repeat this operation 3 times. Sauté the garlic, onion and oil in a pan. Dress with oil and salt and finish with the sauce. Prepare a sort of polenta with the corn flour and stock, and finish with the butter and grated cheese. Sauce: Fry the onion with the saffron and carrot in the butter, then add the sugar and wine and reduce by 50%. Add the stock and lemon juice and cook slowly. Blend, then strain and add the cream. Reduce the sauce. Season with salt and sugar. 

TO SERVE:

Serve the grilled scarlet eggplant with the polenta and banana flower core. Decorate with the sauce.