Jersey Tomato Gazpacho

Coarsely chop the vegetables and herbs and put into a large pot. Add the tomato juice and bread. cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Allow the mixture to marinate 2-3 hours, overnight is even better.

Puree the mixture in a blender in batches until smooth. Season to your own taste with the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and Tabasco

Contributed by: Chef Bruce Lefebvre, The Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick, NJ





Herbed Crepes with Eggplant Puree

For the Crepes: 1 cup flour, sifted 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups whole milk 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper 3 Tblsp. melted, unsalted butter 1/4 cup of herbs, i.e. dill, chives, parsley, thyme, chopped

For the Eggplant Puree: 1 Jersey Fresh eggplant, cut in half 1 1/2 Tblsp. extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, taste 1 large or 2 small Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/4 cup fines herbs 1/4 cup chopped Jersey Fresh basil 8-12 oz. aged white cheddar cheese, grated

In med. bowl, whisk together the flour, eggs, 3/4 cup of the milk, salt and pepper. Continue whisking until you have a smooth batter, the consistency of heavy cream. Add remaining 3/4 cup milk and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the batter to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 mins. before cooking. The batter will keep overnight if you want to prepare ahead. To cook the crepes, heat an 8-inch, non-stick pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Using a 1-inch ladle, ladle out the batter, turning the pan so that the batter evenly coats the bottom. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and the batter is set through. Slide the crepe from the pan onto parchment paper. Repeat the process. Allow each crepe to cool on parchment paper and then they can be stacked until ready for stuffing.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the eggplant halves with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into large dice and cook in boiling water until tender. Drain and mas the potatoes until fine. Remove the eggplant from the oven when doen and allow to cool. Remove the skin and puree the flesh in a blender until a smooth consistency. In a bowl mix together the potato and eggplant. Stir in the parmesan, herbs and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Serve the Crepes: Spoon 2 Tblsp. of the puree into the top quarter of the crepe. Top with 1 Tblsp. grated cheddar and fold in half. Fold the crepe in half again to create a triangle shape. Top each crepe with a Tblsp. of the cheddar. Place cookie sheetof the completed crepes in a 350 degree oven and heat until warm, about 5-6 mins.

Contributed by: Chef Bruce Lefebvre, The Frog and the Peach, New Brunswick, NJ