Risotto With Smoked Eggplant

One of my food flavours is smoke. I really dig the aroma and taste that a grill gives to food. One such instance of this flavour is contained in Melitzanosalata. It's a dip made of roasted eggplants, smashed into a puree with garlic, olive oil and herbs.

For me, Melitzanosalata has to roasted on a grill or even better, a pit of wood burning embers or charcoal. For me, the smoky, roasted eggplant makes or breaks the dish.

When I saw this recipe of a Risotto of Smoked Eggplant, I knew I had to make this. First of all, you know I love smoked food, second...I adore pasta and risottos and finally, the dish is the creation of a Kostis Voulgaridis, from the Porto Valitsa Hotel in Paliouri, Halkidiki.

My family has gone swims here for years. Here I am surveying Paliouri's beautiful beach.

This dish was exquisite. A mild smoky flavour from the roasted eggplant, the slight crunch of the diced zucchini and the velvety risotto and creamy cheese finishing off on the tongue. It actually took me about half an hour to finish this plate. It was that good!

Risotto With Smoked Eggplant
(for 2)

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 large eggplant, roasted
1 cup Arborio rice
2 to 2 1/2 cups of warm chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced zucchini
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
salt and pepper to taste
Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

1. Pierce your eggplant in a few places with a fork around your eggplant. Place on your gas or charcoal grill and roast in (turning every 15 minutes) until it's entirely charred on the outside. Allow to cool before handling.
   
2. In a skillet, add your olive oil over medium heat an add your onions, garlic and bay leaf and simmer for 5-7 minutes to soften.
3. Add your rice and with a wooden spoon, keep stirring to coat and toast the rice with the oil for another couple of minutes.
4. Add your wine and reduce until almost all the liquid is gone.
5. Cut your eggplant open with a knife and carefully spoon out all the meat of the eggplant into the risotto and stir in (discard charred skin).
   
6. Now begin adding (one ladle at a time) your stock and continue stirring the rice until most of the stock has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat this step until your rice has become "al dente" or in another 20-25 minutes.
7. Add the diced zucchini, stir in and allow for it to cook through with the residual heat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add your grated cheese and chives and stir in.
8. Serve immediately with a dry Greek white wine.

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