Eggplant Au Gratin

1 Eggplant (about 1 lb.)

1/2 lb Fresh Mushrooms

Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 c Milk

Pepper, to taste Tabasco, to taste 2 tb Bread crumbs

Salt to taste 3 1/2 tb Butter

1 1/2 tb Flour

1/4 c Heavy cream

1/4 ts Nutmeg

1 Egg, lightly beaten

2 tb Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg. 2. Peel the eggplant and cut the flesh into 1"

cubes, more or less. Drop the cubes into boiling salted water, cook about 5 minutes, just until cooked. Drain well. 3. 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. 4. 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.