Yield: 1 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ease of Preparation: medium

Recipe courtesy Chef Enrico Derflingher, Hotel Eden, Rome

Ingredients:

5 ounce fillet of veal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce pesto sauce
1 pork gut strings
1/2 aubergine (eggplant)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling and frying
4 basil leaves
1 ounce black truffles, julienned, plus extra for garnish
1/2 shallot, minced

Instructions:

1. Clean fillet of veal. You can ask your butcher to do this.
   
2. Season with salt and pepper and brush all over with pesto sauce. Wrap veal in pork gut strings. Set aside.
   
3. To make Aubergine Puree, peel the skin of the aubergine and set aside. In a large stockpot with an inch of water and a steamer basket, place aubergine and steam for 20 minutes. Remove and puree in a food processor.
   
4. In a medium-sized saucepan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add the pureed aubergine, basil leaves, truffles and shallots.
   
5. Flavor the mixture with salt and pepper and drizzle with more olive oil.
   
6. In a medium-sized saucepan, sear fillet in olive oil until brown on all sides and cooked to desired doneness. Save the veal pan drippings, keeping them in a small saucepan at low heat.
   
7. In separate small skillet, pour enough olive oil to about 1/4-inch deep and heat on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, fry peels of the aubergine until crispy and browned. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.