Here is my spicy eggplant risotto, my proposal for Light and Tasty which today, just today, resumes publication after the summer break.
So? How was your vacation? Unfortunately, no vacation for me again this year… but yes, it’s okay! (as long as I hold on! 😄💪).
But how nice it is to get back to writing recipes for Light and Tasty! I missed it!
In this first September episode, we talk about eggplants. 🍆🍆🍆 Nothing better for me, because I have a real passion for eggplants; if it were up to me, I would eat them every day!
Did you know that today’s recipe was born from love at first sight? 😃 Yes, yes, love at first sight for a photo. A photo of a risotto, exactly this one, by my friend Paola (you know her already, right? Her blog is Il Piacere dei sensi, a very beautiful culinary and travel blog). Paola’s risotto came across my nose while I was browsing online. It gave me an immediate feeling of deliciousness, so much so that I immediately rushed to buy eggplants. 😀
And for lunch, my version of Paola’s risotto, which became spicy eggplant risotto, was already ready! and eaten! 😃
Do you have an eggplant at home? Then let’s start with the recipe!!
👇 Here are more of my ideas for cooking eggplants 👇
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 1 cup Carnaroli rice
- 1 large eggplant (globe)
- 1 quart vegetable broth (spiced)
- 1 oz onion
- 1/3 cup tomato puree
- 1 chili pepper
- 3 leaves basil
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp butter (for creaming, optional)
- quartirolo lombardo (amount to taste, optional)
Tools
- Casserole
- Frying Pan
How to Prepare Spicy Eggplant Risotto:
First, prepare the vegetable broth:
I prepared it with my homemade vegetable granules enriched with some flavoring spices (paprika, turmeric, cumin, and nutmeg).
👉 As for spice quantities, I know you should weigh everything but… I love eyeballing it! Let’s say I used a pinch of each spice, try it like this then taste and adjust to your liking, okay? 🙂
Proceed to the precooking of the eggplant:
Wash and dice the eggplant.
Chop the onion.
In a high-sided saucepan (suitable for cooking risotto), sauté the onion with a tablespoon of oil for a few minutes, add the diced eggplant and cook for about ten minutes, moistening as needed with a few tablespoons of hot broth.
Add the tomato puree and the chili pepper.
👉 Decide how much chili pepper to use according to your taste and habits, but keep in mind the risotto should be nicely spicy. 😉
While the eggplant begins to cook, in a separate pan toast the rice.
👉 Toasting can also be done dry, but I preferred to grease the pan with a teaspoon of oil.
Stir the rice for a few minutes over medium heat.
When the rice is toasted, pour it into the pan containing the eggplant sauce.
Proceed with the classic method of cooking the risotto by adding the spiced vegetable broth one ladle at a time.
Near the end of cooking, add the basil.
I used a total of one liter of broth. After the last ladle, I turned off the stove and let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes before creaming it.
I creamed it with a small piece of butter, but grated cheese is also perfectly fine.
Serve nice and hot. 😋
Tip for a great variation:
For those who want to make it a one-dish meal, adding cheese is ideal, and there are many cheeses that pair beautifully with eggplant. One of them is definitely quartirolo, a cheese we really love.
I recommend adding it directly in cubes, but it is also great for creaming.
I will definitely try it to cream my next spicy eggplant risotto 😊 which this time I ate just as it is:
Salt-Free Tips
Today’s salt-free tips are very simple: chili pepper and spiced broth. 😉
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Gradually reduce the salt, your palate needs to get used to it slowly and shouldn’t notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruit. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer methods that don’t dilute flavors (grill, in papillote, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Allow yourself an occasional indulgence. It’s good for morale and helps perseverance.
If you can’t or don’t want to give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes, salting according to your habits.
Follow me!
In my WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page and Pinterest, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you want… subscribe to my Newsletter.
In my WhatsApp channel and on Instagram, on the Facebook page and Pinterest, in my two groups: Catia’s group, in the kitchen and beyond and Just what I was looking for! and if you want… subscribe to my Newsletter.
I am very curious to read all the recipes from my Light and Tasty colleagues, and I will try them all! Eggplaaants… to me!! 😃
Carla: Rice and Eggplant Parmigiana
Daniela: Baked Eggplant with Lemon, Mozzarella, and Parsley
Elena: Baked Eggplant with Feta and Oregano
Franca: Grilled Eggplant
Mary: Eggplant Meatballs with Aromatic Herbs
Milena: Eggplant Cream for Crostini
Serena: Super Quick Baked Eggplant
