Summer Egg plant risotto (V)

Yesterday I went walking with a friend through Amsterdam. We had a fun time and to end the lovely summer day I made us a delicious egg plant risotto! Perfectly light and fresh of taste.

Duration: 30 minutes

The ingredients for 3 servings:

• 300 g risotto rice
• 200 g chestnut mushrooms
• 1 large egg plant
• 1 large of 2 smalle white onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 125 ricotto cheese
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan cheese and more to taste
• Fresh basil
• 1/2 lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

What you do:

1. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat and cook over a liter of water in the kettle. Meanwhile chop the onion. Put the onion together with 3 crushed garlic cloves in the pan and fry for about 3 minutes. Add the rice and fry along with the onion for another 1 to 2 minutes until the rice is translucent. Crumble over the stock cube and add a dash of hot water. Stir well until it is absorbed by the rice. Reduce the heat and add another dash of water (not too much at a time) and continue until the rice is tender. This takes about 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Meanwhile, cut the mushrooms into quarters and the egg plant into cubes of your desired size. Drizzle over some juice of the lemon over the egg plant so it doesn't turn brown. When the rice is cooking for about 10 minutes, heat up another splash of olive oil in a frying pan on medium to hight heat. Add the mushrooms and egg plant and cook 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, torn a large handfull of fresh basil leaves. 
4. Turn of the heat when the rice is cooked and stir through the ricotto, Parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves. Stir the vegetables through and leave the lid on the pan for 3 minutes.
5. Serve with some extra freshly torn basil leaves and parmesan cheese sprinkled over it. 

Enjoy!