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Jumbo Parmesan-Crusted Croutons with Green Tonnato and Stewed Eggplant  

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Makes 4-6, plus leftover sauce and stewed eggplant 1x

Time 45 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 day-old sourdough loaf (preferably Pullman), cut into 2-inch cubes
  • Butter, for frying/toasting
  • 4 ounces grated Parmesan

For the tonnato:

  • 1 6.7 ounce jar of tuna in olive oil, drained
  • 1 bunch/handful fresh basil or parsley
  • 6 anchovies
  • 2 lemons, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1/2 cup kewpie mayonnaise
  • ~2 teaspoons salt, or more to taste

For the eggplant:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1/2 shallot, finely diced
  • 1 (globe/American) eggplant, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup red wine
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder or red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 red beefsteak tomatoes, grated

Instructions

  1. Add the tuna, herbs, anchovies, lemon juice, dijon mustard, champagne vinegar and capers to a blender. Mix on high, while slowly streaming in extra virgin olive oil. Once everything is well combined, add grated garlic and kewpie mayonnaise and blend until the sauce has reached a creamy consistency. Taste and add salt as needed. Set aside.
  2. In a pan over medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil, and once it’s shimmering, add garlic and shallots and sweat until translucent. Add the eggplant, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, and a couple pinches of salt, cook for about two minutes, then pour in red wine and increase the heat for another two minutes.
  3. Bring the heat back to medium, add the grated tomatoes, and let everything simmer and reduce until the mixture is thickened, then remove from heat.
  4. Place a separate pan over medium-low heat, add enough butter to coat the pan once it’s melted, and toast all sides of the bread cubes (croutons) in the butter. When they’re golden brown on all sides (and still hot), coat the bread cubes in grated parmesan, using your hands to press it in to adhere to the bread. To achieve a parmesan “crust,” add the bread cubes to an oven or toaster at 400 for a few minutes.
  5. Top the jumbo croutons with a thick spread of tonnato and a dollop of the eggplant mixture and serve immediately. If you can’t resist the urge to add a traditional garnish, fresh basil never hurts.

— Recipe developed by Erika Houle