Eggplant Au Gratin Recipe

Ingredients

1 eggplant (about 1 lb) 
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms 
1 egg, lightly beaten 
juice of 1/2 lemon 
1/2 cup milk 
1/4 cup heavy cream 
3 1/2 tablespoons butter 
2 tablespoons bread crumbs 
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese 
1 1/2 tablespoons flour 
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 
pepper to taste 
salt to taste 
Tabasco to taste 


Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
Peel the eggplant and cut the eggplant flesh into 1" cubes, more or less. 
Drop the eggplant cubes into boiling salted water, cook about 5 minutes,just until cooked.
Drain well. ...Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms. There should be about 2 cups. 

Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet and add the mushroom slices. 
Sprinkle with salt and about 1 teaspoon lemon juice. 
Cook, stirring and tossing, until the mushrooms give up their juice. 
Continue cooking until the liquid evaporates. ..Set aside. 

Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and add the flour, 
stirring with a wire whisk. Add the milk and cream, stirring rapidly with the whisk. 
When blended and smooth, Add salt and pepper to taste, the remaining lemon juice, 
nutmeg, and Tabasco to taste. 

Stir in the mushrooms and eggplant. Stir in the egg. 
Spoon the mixture into a baking dish (an 8" pie plate works well). 
Sprinkle with a mixture of crumbs and cheese and dot the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. 
Bake 30 to 40 minutes, and then brown under the broiler