Erin's Eggplant Soup with Cheese Foam (March 09 - Aphrodisiacs)

Eggplant Soup with Cheese Foam
Chef Angel Palacios, La Broche-Miami, FL
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

Cheese Foam:
1 ounce fresh mozzarella cheese, grated
1 ounce Emmental cheese, grated
1 ounce Gruyure cheese, grated
1 ounce Brie cheese, grated
2 cups heavy cream

Eggplant Soup:
1 medium-sized eggplant
1 cup chicken stock

Other ingredients:
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup water
Pinch of salt

Method:
To prepare eggplant soup: Season whole eggplant with olive oil and salt. Place in a baking dish with 1 cup of water. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Peel the eggplant and mix it with the chicken stock in a mixer until the eggplant pieces have dissolved. Pour mixture through a sieve into a saucepan. Place the saucepan in another dish filled with hot water to keep warm.
To prepare cheese foam: Put heavy cream in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add cheeses and whisk. Set mixture aside and let it cool for 30 minutes. Pour mixture through a sieve and into a funnel.
To plate: Dilute tomato paste in a small mixing bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil on top. Pour soup into a shot glass-sized serving dish (preferably glass), filling half way. Then fill the rest of the glass with cheese foam. Lastly, add teaspoon of tomato paste mixture.