Eggplant and taleggio arancini

ServeS 6-8

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra olive or vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 eggplant, cut into very small dice

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

5 tbsp butter, plus extra

1 onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 ½ cups (300g) Arborio rice

handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

finely grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon

1 cup freshly grated Grana

Padano cheese

about 10oz (300g) Taleggio cheese, chilled and cut into small dice

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1 Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the eggplant in batches, stirring, until golden brown. Season with salt, and set aside.

2 Pour the stock into a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Heat the remaining olive oil and the butter in another saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes. Add ½ cup (120ml) of

the simmering stock, and stir until absorbed. Continue adding gradually for 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.

3 Remove from the heat, and add the parsley, thyme, lemon, and Grana Padano. Season with salt and pepper. Spread over a baking sheet to cool. Once cooled, roll a small amount of rice into a ball, then push a piece of Taleggio and of fried eggplant into the center. Cover with rice, and repeat.

4 Spread the flour in a pan. Add the rice balls, shaking the pan to coat. Dip each ball into the beaten egg, and then roll in the breadcrumbs to coat. Heat oil in a wok over mediumhigh heat. Deep-fry the rice balls in batches until golden brown all over. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Eggplant and taleggio arancini