Vegetarian asparagus bake with grilled eggplant

Preparation

1. 1
   Step 1

   Peel the asparagus and trim off the woody ends.

2. 2
   Step 2

   Cook the asparagus in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

   Timer · 10 min
3. 3
   Step 3

   Wash the eggplants, slice them lengthwise into 0.5 cm thick slices, sprinkle with salt, and let sit for a short while.

4. 4
   Step 4

   Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the whole wheat spelt flour.

5. 5
   Step 5

   Pour in the milk while stirring and bring to a boil until a creamy sauce forms.

6. 6
   Step 6

   Remove the sauce from the heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 1 tbsp lemon juice.

7. 7
   Step 7

   Wash the chervil, shake dry, finely chop, and stir half of it into the sauce.

8. 8
   Step 8

   Pat the eggplant slices dry and brush with 1 tbsp olive oil.

9. 9
   Step 9

   Heat a grill pan and sear the eggplant slices over high heat for 1 minute on each side.

   Timer · 2 min
10. 10
    Step 10

    Finely grate the mountain cheese.

11. 11
    Step 11

    Bundle 3 asparagus stalks together, wrap with an eggplant slice, and place in a baking dish.

12. 12
    Step 12

    Pour the prepared sauce over the asparagus-eggplant bundles and sprinkle with the mountain cheese.

13. 13
    Step 13

    Bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C (convection 180 °C) for 15–20 minutes.

    Timer · 20 min
14. 14
    Step 14

    Remove the bake from the oven and garnish with the remaining chervil.