Ingredients:
- Risotto
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced
- ½ Red Onion, finely chopped (or 3-4 shallots)
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- ⅓ cup Oil Packed Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Italian Herbs, your choice
- ½ cup Cooking Sherry
- 2 cups Hot Vegetable Stock, or water and veg bullion cube
- ½ teaspoon Salt (if needed)
- Veggies
- 1 Small Eggplant*
- 4 Water Packed Artichoke Hearts
- 1 Bell Pepper (or jared, roasted red pepper)
- Reduction
- Balsamic Vinegar (at least 1/2 cup)
Directions:
*I only used 2 slices of eggplant per person, so you won’t need an entire eggplant to make this dish.
Preheat your oven to 450º F.
Roasted Red PepperBegin by sauteing the garlic and onion in olive oil in an oven safe sauté pan that has high sides and a tight fitting lid. While the onion is cooking over medium heat, begin roasting the pepper if you are using a fresh one. Instructions can be found here.
Once the onion has softened and browned, add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes and herbs. Add the cooking sherry and stir until absorbed by the rice. Add the stock/water, stir, cover and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron grill pan with some olive oil. When the pan is very hot, add slices of eggplant and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until tender, remove from the pan. Slice the artichoke hearts in quarters and grill for a few minutes, set aside when completed. Sprinkle both lightly with salt.
To make the reduction, heat balsamic vinegar in a sauce pan, reducing by half until the vinegar is syrupy. The more vinegar you use, the easier it is to make, but the longer it takes. If you only use a small amount of vinegar, you can overcook it easily; keep a close eye on it. While the vinegar is reducing, check for consistency by drizzling some on a plate. If it is thick and syrupy, and tastes sweet and tangy, you’re ready to go. Try not to burn or completely caramelize the vinegar.
One the risotto comes out of the oven, remove the cover and fluff it with a fork. BE CAREFUL. While I was plating the dish, I had forgotten that the pan had just come out of a 450º oven and tried to move it out of the way. I plated, photographed, and wrote about this dish one hand because of that. Ouch.
Plate the dish. I used a cooking ring to form the risotto, put the artichokes on top, and the eggplant and pepper next to the risotto. Drizzle with the reduction and serve.
(Serves 3)
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