Risotto, smoked eggplant and chilli oil
Prep Time:
60 minutes
Serves:
Level:
4
Intermediate
Category:
Vegetarian
About the Recipe
A risotto built on three elements. The eggplants are charred whole until the skin burns, then the flesh is blended smooth into the rice for sweetness and body, while the blackened skin flavors the vegetable stock with subtle smoke. The risotto cooks loose and creamy, finished with Parmigiano and butter tossed in off the heat until it moves like a wave. A vibrant chilli oil, made with sweet chilli and garlic cooked low and slow, goes over the top to finish. Technique-led but simple, this is how you build flavour into rice.
Ingredients
For the Stock
· 2 carrots
· 1 stick celery
· 2 onions
· 5-6 sprigs parsley
For the Chilli Oil
· 150g sweet chilli
· 200ml extra virgin olive oil
· 2 cloves garlic
· Parsley (from the bunch above)
· Salt
For the risotto
· 2 eggplants
· 300g carnaroli or arborio rice
· 50g butter
· 100ml dry white wine
· 50g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
· Extra virgin olive oil
· Salt
Preparation
For the Stock
· Clean and cut the carrots, celery, and onion into large pieces. Add the parsley stalks and just enough water to cover the vegetables by about 3-4cm. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
· While the stock cooks, char the eggplants. Place them directly on an open flame or BBQ and char until the skin burns completely, the eggplants burst, and the inside becomes very soft. This takes approximately 20-25 minutes.
· Once charred, peel some of the blackened skin from the eggplants and add it to the simmering stock for smoke flavour.
For the Cilli oil
· Chop the sweet chilli into pieces about 1cm. Add the olive oil, garlic, and a little parsley, then cook over very low heat for about 25-30 minutes.
· Remove the garlic and parsley, then blend the oil and chilli to a smooth texture. Season with salt. This makes more than you need for this recipe, so reserve the rest in the fridge, covering it with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent oxidation.
For the Risotto
· Blend the charred eggplant flesh (removing any remaining burnt skin) with a little salt and a few spoons of olive oil until smooth. Set aside.
· Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot or large pan, then add the rice. Toast at medium heat, constantly stirring and tossing, until the rice becomes translucent at the edges. You will feel the rice become lighter in the pan.
· Add the wine and start a timer for 16-18 minutes, depending on how you want the rice cooked. Once the wine has evaporated, start adding the stock little by little, keeping the rice continuously boiling and just covered with liquid. Keep stirring regularly.
· When you have about 5 minutes left in the cooking time, add the eggplant puree. Add as much as you think you need, keeping in mind that the amount will depend on the size of your eggplants. Continue adding stock until you are about 2 minutes away from the end of cooking time.
· Once the timer is up, the rice should be quite dry. Now make the mantecatura. Off the heat, add a few spoons of olive oil, the Parmigiano, and a little stock, then toss the rice around to incorporate the cheese and give it a creamy texture. The final result should be all'onda, roughly translating to wavy, because when you toss the rice in the pan it should move like a wave.
· Place the risotto onto a flat plate, flatten it slightly, and add as much chilli oil as you want on top.