Eggplants grew well this year, lasting into Autumn, with the last few being frozen to use during winter. Risotto is one of my favourite 'fast foods', it's something you can cook up with simple flavour combinations, anything really and it changes seasonally.
EGGPLANT RISOTTO
w NASTURTIUM SALAD
Serves 2 I Prep time 10 min I Cook time 20 min
Gluten Free I Soy Free I Egg Free I Sugar Free I Nut Free
- Murray river salt flakes
- Freshly ground pepper
NASTURTIUM SALAD
- Handful nasturtium leaves
- 1/2 cup fetta, crumbled
- Splash extra virgin olive oil
- Bit of grated nutmeg
PROVISIONS
- Good splash olive oil
- 1/2 leek, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 cup eggplant, diced
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups carnaroli (or arborio) rice
- Good splash white wine
- 1 litre homemade chicken stock
- Generous tbsp butter
METHOD
- Heat a medium cast iron pot (or heavy based saucepan) over a medium heat, add oil, leek and stir. Reduce heat to low and let it slowly cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic, chilli, eggplant and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium, cook for a few minutes, stirring often. Add rice and stir for a couple of minutes, then add wine, stir with a wooden spoon scraping off anything stuck to the bottom.
- Add stock, a ladle at a time, stirring clockwise until it's absorbed. Then repeat until rice is cooked. Add butter, season with salt & pepper, stir clockwise until creamy. Cover and let it sit while you prepare the salad.
- For the salad, combine all salad ingredients in a bowl, use your hands to lightly toss.
- To serve, spoon risotto onto a plate, shake it a little to flatten it into 'planet risotto'. Pop a mound of salad on top. I like to garnish it with a little extra nutmeg and some grated frozen chilli.