PARMESAN AND EGGPLANT SOUP WITH PARMESAN CRISPS

Parmesan And Eggplant Soup With Parmesan Crisps image

Provided by Amanda Hesser

Categories project, soups and stews, appetizer

Time 2h30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

5 cups peeled and diced eggplant
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup diced Spanish onion
2 tablespoons butter
8 cups chicken broth
1 pound parmesan cheese, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons shaved parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons chives, cut into 1-inch-long pieces

Steps:

In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt, and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, rinse the eggplant with water and drain.
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, sweat the onion in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent. Add the eggplant, and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside 1 cup cooked eggplant to use as a garnish.
In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add the chopped parmesan, and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Strain the stock, and discard the cheese.
Puree the cooked eggplant with the chicken stock, then pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the parmesan crisps: In a large, nonstick saute pan, sprinkle half the grated parmesan into an even 1/8-inch layer. Cook slowly over medium-low heat until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
Loosen the edges of the parmesan from the pan with a rubber spatula. Carefully slide the melted cheese from the pan onto a cutting board. Immediately cut the cheese into 6 irregular triangles. While the cheese triangles are still hot, lay them over a wine bottle or rolling pin to create a curved crisp. Let the crisps cool completely. Repeat the process to create a total of 12 parmesan crisps.
Ladle the hot soup into 4 bowls. Spoon some of the reserved eggplant into each bowl. Sprinkle with the shaved parmesan and chives. Place 3 parmesan crisps in the center of each bowl, and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 855, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 33 grams, Fat 50 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 67 grams, SaturatedFat 30 grams, Sodium 2738 milligrams, Sugar 14 grams, TransFat 0 grams