Miso Eggplant Risotto

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the eggplant into half inch pieces. Coat eggplant with 2-3 tbsp olive oil. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Risotto: mince the garlic. Dice scallions and reserve 2 tbsp of the green part for a garnish. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and scallions for about 1 minute.
3. Add Arborio rice, and stir to coat. Cook the rice, stirring often, until it begins to look translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
4. While the rice is cooking, dissolve white miso paste into 1 1/2 C hot water, and combine with 2 C vegetable broth.Once the rice is shiny and translucent, add the broth 1/2 C at a time. Stir the risotto frequently, adding more broth as the liquid is absorbed. Once all the broth has been absorbed, and the rice is tender and fluffy, remove from heat. (You may run out of broth before the rice reaches this point. This is OK, just use water until the rice is done. OR, if the rice is fluffy before you've used all the broth, that is fine too. Discard what is left).
5. Stir in the butter. Add sambal oelek to taste; use more if you want a spicier dish. Stir in the sake, if using.
6. Finish the Eggplant: Once the eggplant has become brown and crispy, remove it from the oven. Transfer to a skillet on low heat. Add the soy sauce and cook until just absorbed.
7. Assemble the risotto: Divide the risotto into four dishes. Top with roasted eggplant and reserved scallion greens. Top with crispy tofu bites, if desired.
8. Notes: You can make this meal completely gluten free by subbing in tamari for the soy sauce.