Creamy rice with roasted eggplant, confit cherry tomatoes and labneh with dukkah

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C / 425 °F. Toss the eggplant with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, half of the salt, and a little black pepper. Spread on a tray and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden and tender.

2. 2

   On another tray or in a small baking dish, combine the cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the whole garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. Bake at 180 °C / 350 °F for 20 minutes, until juicy and lightly concentrated.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, make a quick dukkah: toast the sesame seeds and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Chop them with the toasted hazelnuts until you get a coarse mixture. Set aside.

4. 4

   Heat the vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep it warm over low heat. In a wide pot, cook the onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat until translucent. Add the 2 chopped garlic cloves and cook 30 seconds more.

5. 5

   Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat it well. Add the ground cumin and dry white wine, then cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

6. 6

   Add the hot stock gradually, about one ladle at a time, stirring often. Cook the rice for 16 to 18 minutes, adding more stock as it is absorbed, until the texture is creamy and the grains are tender but still intact.

7. 7

   When 3 minutes remain, fold in the roasted eggplant, the confit cherry tomatoes with their mashed roasted garlic, the lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Adjust with salt and black pepper.

8. 8

   Remove from the heat and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve the creamy rice in plates, add spoonfuls of labneh on top, and finish with the hazelnut-sesame dukkah and chopped fresh mint.

9. 9

   If you want the labneh lightly browned, place the plated rice or an oven-safe dish under the broiler for 1 minute at 230 °C / 450 °F, watching closely so it does not burn.