Basil Ricotta
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Fold together all ingredients, season
with salt and pepper to taste. Keep cold
until ready to use.
Roasted Tomato Crawfish Sauce
1 pound fresh Louisiana crawfish tails with fat
1 1/4 cups roasted tomatoes, julienned (sundried tomatoes can be used as a substitute)
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1/4 cups of heavy cream
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sweet vermouth
1 Tablespoon shallots, minced
In a saucepan sweat shallots, add the vinegar and vermouth and reduce. Add cream and reduce by half. Add half the tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes. Mount the cold butter, one cube at a time, on low heat. Add the remaining tomatoes, crawfish tails and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Keep warm until ready to serve.
Fried Eggplant
2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 cup seasoned flour
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
Kosher salt to taste
Canola oil for frying
Whisk together milk and eggs to create an egg wash.
Dredge the eggplant slices in the seasoned flour and egg wash, then liberally coat in panko breadcrumbs.
Fry breaded eggplant in 350-degree oil until crisp and golden brown. Finish by seasoning with Creole seasoning and salt.
To Plate
Alternate 3 layers of fried eggplant with 2 Tablespoons of basil ricotta, and top liberally with smoked tomato crawfish sauce.
Garnish with fresh basil.
Serves 6 as an appetizer.
Cafe B
2700 Metairie Road | Metairie
934-4700 | cafeb.com
