Italian Sushi Rolls
Ingredients:
1 yellow zucchini squash, cut into 2-inch sticks
1/2 eggplant
Salt to sprinkle over eggplant
8 ounces fresh mozzarella slices, cut into 2-inch sticks
1 tablespoon Stella's Table Porcini Sea Salt
1/2 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch rings
Ingredients for risotto (you can use left over risotto and bypass this step):
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
A pinch of saffron
Ingredients for peppers:
1/2 each of a red, yellow and orange pepper, sliced into 2-inch sticks
1/2 teaspoon balsamic glaze
Instructions for risotto:
On medium heat, heat the olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and allow to cook for several minutes until translucent.
Add the rice and cook until slightly browned, stirring to make sure it doesn't burn.
Add the white wine and cook down until it is entirely absorbed into the rice.
Add a portion of the broth, just enough to cover all the rice. Stir intermittently, adding more broth as the rice begins to absorb the liquid. Do not allow the rice to stick to the bottom.
Continue to add broth until the rice is cooked by tasting the rice. It should be al dente but not sticking in your teeth.
Once rice is done, add the saffron and stir until fully combined. This will give your risotto that beautiful color. Refrigerate until cooled.
Instructions for the eggplant:
Slice the eggplant in half (not lengthwise). Save the other half for another meal. Slice the 1/2 eggplant lengthwise. Use a mandolin as you want this to be very thin as the eggplant acts as the wrap for the other ingredients. Place the slices on a parchment-lined sheet pan and sprinkle salt over the eggplant.
Grill each slice for about 30 seconds per side. Set aside.
Instructions for the peppers:
Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to a frying pan and add the sliced peppers. Sauté until softened and then add the balsamic glaze. Continued cooking for another couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.
Instructions for caramelized onions:
Add the sliced onions and the butter in a frying pan and cook slowly for about an hour, until cooked down and sweetened. Set aside once cooked.
Instructions for the mozzarella:
Roll the mozzarella sticks into the Porcini Sea Salt. Set aside.
Assembling the sushi roll:
Using a bamboo sushi roll, layer the eggplant so that the entire roll is covered. Should be one layer with some overlap.
Place a very thin layer of risotto onto the eggplant, leaving about 1/3 of the top free of risotto.
On top of the risotto, add one line of the zucchini sticks, one line of the caramelized onions, one line of the cooked peppers and one line of the seasoned mozzarella.
For forming the sushi roll, please watch the Stella's Table video where we demonstrate the technique.
