Chef's Table

Eggplant Napoleon with Tomato Brown Ale Sauce

Eggplant Napoleon: With Summer comes gifts from the garden. Wonderful flavors and textures of eggplant, mushrooms and squash all come together with help from a Tomato Brown Ale Sauce that you can use on pasta if you wish.

CourseEntrée | Main, Main Dish
CuisineBeer Cuisine, Vegetarian
Cooking Beer StyleAmerican Pale Ale
SeasonalFall Seasonal, Summer Seasonal
Food SectionCheese, Garlic, Herbs, Mushrooms, Onions, Tomato, Vegetable
Cooking MethodCooking with Beer
BrewerySierra Nevada

Servings	Prep Time
4servings	30minute

Cook Time

30minute

Servings	Prep Time
4servings	30minute

Cook Time

30minute

Ingredients

Tomato Brown Ale Sauce Ingredients:

2tbsp olive oil
1each onions, yellow, large,peeled and diced
6each mushrooms, crimini,sliced
4each garlic, clovespeeled and minced
12ounce Brown Ale,such as American Brown Ale
2cups tomato pureemade from fresh tomatoes or canned
1tsp salt, sea
.5tsp peppercorns, blackfreshly cracked
4sprigs oregano, fresh
10each basil leaveschopped

Pale Ale Vegetable Marinade Ingredients:

6oz Pale Alesuch as American Pale Ale
4oz oil, olive
4cloves garlic, clovespeeled and minced
1tsp Smoked Paprika
1tsp salt, sea
1tsp peppercorns, blackfreshly cracked

Grill and Assembly:

2each eggplantsliced ½ inch thick rounds
3each Portobello Mushroomsinside ribs removed
3each Zucchini Squashsliced into rings
2each tomatoes, heirloomsliced
6oz cheese, goat,
12oz cheese, mozzarella, freshsliced into 12 discs
Assorted Herbs: Oregano, Basil, Sage, Parsley, Thymefor garnish

Instructions

Tomato Brown Ale Sauce Directions:

To make the Tomato Brown Ale Sauce, place a medium size sauce pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and onions, cooking till the onions become transparent, about 5-6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté an additional 4-5 minutes. Now, add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute and deglaze the pan with the Brown Ale, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any brown bits. Next add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and oregano turning the heat to low and cook for 30-45 minutes. Just before serving, add the basil leaves. Keep warm.

Pale Ale Vegetable Marinade Directions:

To make the Pale Ale Vegetable Marinade, in a shallow pan or pie dish, add your favorite pale ale, olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and mix well. Have a sheet pan (cookie sheet) next to the marinade. Next dip each side of each piece of eggplant, Portobello mushroom and Zucchini in the marinade and set on the sheet tray.
Preheat your charcoal or gas grill to a medium heat. Once the grill is hot, grill the eggplant (on each side for 3-4 minutes), portobello mushrooms (for 6 minutes on each side, starting with the cap side down), zucchini (for 3-4 minutes a side). Remove from the grill, keeping warm. If you have a larger grill you can grill all at once.

To assemble the Eggplant Napoleon:

To assemble: on a sheet pan, start with 4 of the largest rings of grilled eggplant, and place each one on its own. Start each layer with a tablespoon of Tomato Brown Ale Sauce, then give each a slice of mozzarella, next a Portobello mushroom cap side down, making sure all the layers are even and centered. Fill the Portobello mushroom with 2 ounces each of Goat Cheese, then the tomato slices, topping with another tablespoon of sauce, zucchini slices (3 – 4 each stack) and then another slice of mozzarella, adding some tomato slices. Top each stack with a piece of eggplant, then a small teaspoon of sauce on the top. Place the sheet tray in the oven (350°F) of onto the grill for 4-5 minutes, letting the cheese melt slightly. Place a few tablespoons of sauce on each plate and carefully transfer the warm Napoleon onto the sauce (will help it from slipping). Garnish the dish with fresh herbs.

Recipe Notes

Beer Pairing Suggestions:

To pair a beer with this dish, a wonderful Brown ale, would compliment the caramelization, both in the malty brew and the grilled vegetables, along with the beer style being used in the Tomato Brown Ale Sauce.
Pale Ale with it’s citrusy hop aroma and flavors will highlight the herbs and goat cheese
A Flanders Red will bring some acid along with some dark fruit undertones that will contrast the vegetables and bring forward the tomato (it is a fruit after all) elements.