Vegetarian Napoleon Recipes

VEGETABLE NAPOLEON OR REMY'S RATATOUILLE IN ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare the first 4 peppers by first cutting off the top and bottom and discarding inedible portions. Then cut down the sides so they form solid squares. You can usually manage to get about 3 pieces from each pepper that are 2 inches square each. Throw all pieces, including excess edible portions into a baking pan. Gut the two peppers for the sauce and cut into manageable pieces. Place them in pan as well.
• To prepare other vegetables, cut off top and bottoms, discarding inedible portions. Slice eggplant, zucchini, onions and squash into circular pieces. Eggplant should be approx 1/4 inch thick, onion, zucchini and squash can be any thickness desired under 1/8 inch. Place all edible pieces in baking pan.
• Coat all vegetables in olive oil.
• Roast in oven (500 degrees) for up to 30 minutes until edges of pepper are beginning to blacken and other vegetable centers become soft enough to poke with a fork.
• Grill 6 slices of eggplant on skillet and lay out individually on a cooking-sprayed cookie sheet.
• Then grill 12 slices of bell peppers. Place one on each stack of vegetables. The other 6 will be another layer after the next step.
• Next, grill zucchini slices and places enough on each pepper slice to cover fully. Throw excess into blender or food processor.
• Now stack other grilled bell peppers on top of stacks. ALL other pepper not yet used, including those specifically made for the sauce should be thrown in the blender.
• Grill squash and place enough slices on each stack to cover peppers fully. Throw excess into blender.
• Place onion slices on top of stack.
• Top each stack with a generous helping of mozzarella cheese (or one slice).
• Place cookie sheet in oven (350 degrees) for approx 15 minutes or until all cheese is completely melted.
• While the pieces are in the oven puree the excess vegetables and put in a large saucepan. Add the juice in the bottom of the pan from roasting the vegetables as well as the whipping cream and veggie broth.
• Season sauce as desired. I personally added parsley and pepper flakes for a sweet and spicy combination.
• Heat on medium-high until throughly mixed into a creamy sauce.
• To serve, place one napoleon on a plate and pour pepper sauce on top until well covered.

VEGETABLE NAPOLEON WITH GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM AND TOMATO BASIL BISQUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper and saute until they begin to soften. While they are cooking, cut fresh tomatoes in half, squeeze out seeds. Stir the fresh tomatoes into the skillet along with tomato paste and diced canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer partially covered to integrate flavors, about 5 minutes. Add stock and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Season portobello mushrooms with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil. Place on baking sheet in oven for 10 minutes.
• Remove pan of tomato mixture from heat, stir in cream and season with salt and pepper, to taste. While the mushrooms are in the oven, puree sauce in batches in food processor. Remove mushrooms from oven and let cool.
• To assemble napoleon, place a portobello on serving plate. Top with 1 slice of cheese followed by a slice of tomato, then another slice of cheese, another tomato slice and the second portobello on the top layer. Ladle warm sauce over the vegetable napoleon and finish with a basil sprig, for garnish.

ROASTED VEGETABLE NAPOLEONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. and brush 2 baking sheets with some of the olive oil.
• Arrange as many vegetables as possible in one layer on sheets. Brush vegetables with some remaining oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in middle and lower thirds of oven, switching positions of sheets in oven half way through roasting, until just tender and lightly browned, 10-15 minutes. Transfer vegetables as roasted to a tray, arranging them in one layer. Roast remaining vegetables in same manner. Vegetables may be roasted 1 day ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, layered between sheets of plastic wrap on trays and covered. Bring vegetables to room temperature before proceeding.
• In a small bowl stir together ricotta, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Put 1 eggplant slice on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Spread 1 tablespoon of ricotta mixture over eggplant. Cover ricotta mixture with 2 potato slices and layer with 2 zucchini slices, 1 onion slice, 1 mozzarella slice, 2 to 3 tomato slices, 2 zucchini slices, and 1 onion slice. Spread 1 tablespoon ricotta mixture over onion and top with 1 eggplant slice. Make 5 more napoleons using remaining vegetables, ricotta mixture, and mozzarella in same manner.
• Insert a metal or wooden skewer through center of each napoleon to make a hole from top to bottom. Trim rosemary sprigs to 1-inch taller than napoleons and remove bottom leaves from each sprig, leaving about 1-inch of leaves around top. Insert 1 sprig into each napoleon and bake in middle of oven 5 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and vegetables are heated through.