I made this risotto for dinner on Mother's Day . I've been working my way through the Plenty cookbook, and its been great recipe after great recipe. The lemon zest and basil give this risotto a great flavor. Leftover eggplant isn't my favorite texture, so this is not my favorite dish leftover. I much prefer a few of my other risottos leftover - Pumpkin Risotto or Red Wine Risotto. This eggplant risotto goes really well with beef or chicken.
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
3 1/4 cup vegetable stock
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Sartori parmesan
salt and pepper
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with boil. Piece skin of eggplant with a fork several times. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, turning twice.
2. Remove eggplant from oven. Remove skin and cut into bite size chunks.
3. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large skillet. Fry eggplant in batches and remove to colander to drain and cool. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Add remaining oil to pan and fry onions, until soft. Add garlic and fry until fragrant. Add and melt butter. Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes, until rice starts to brown. Add wine and cook down for 2-3 minutes, until nearly evaporated. Turn heat to medium.
5. Add vegetable stock in 1 cup increments, adding more as the prior cup is absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest, parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
3 1/4 cup vegetable stock
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Sartori parmesan
salt and pepper
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with boil. Piece skin of eggplant with a fork several times. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, turning twice.
2. Remove eggplant from oven. Remove skin and cut into bite size chunks.
3. Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large skillet. Fry eggplant in batches and remove to colander to drain and cool. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Add remaining oil to pan and fry onions, until soft. Add garlic and fry until fragrant. Add and melt butter. Add rice and cook for 3-4 minutes, until rice starts to brown. Add wine and cook down for 2-3 minutes, until nearly evaporated. Turn heat to medium.
5. Add vegetable stock in 1 cup increments, adding more as the prior cup is absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest, parmesan, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.