Italian Summer Antipasto Vegetables, Beans, and Rice from Genoa - 30g Carbs, 2g Fiber
Recipe By:
Servings: 12
Preparation Time :0:00
Categories: Low Cal (Less than 300 cals) Lower Carbs Meze
2/3 cup dried white beans -- like cannellini, rinsed and picked over
1/4 pound eggplant -- peeled and diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups short-grain Arborio rice -- about 3/4 pound, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained or rinsed well.
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
3 1/3 cups water
1/4 pound zucchini -- one zucchini
1 yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice -- to 3 tablespoons, or to your taste 1 garlic clove -- finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 pound cucumber -- one cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 ripe firm tomato -- chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves freshly ground pepper -- to taste
Place the beans in a medium-size saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a boil, add a little salt, and cook until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 425F.
Lay the eggplant pieces on some paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Leave them to drain of their bitter juices for 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat the grains. Add the salt and water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed and the rice tender, about 12 minutes. Spread the rice on a baking tray to cool.
Boil the zucchini in water to cover in a medium-size saucepan until tender but still showing a little resistance when you piece it with a skewer, about 10 minutes. Drain, let cool, and cut in half lengthwise, then cut again into thin half-moons.
Meanwhile, place the yellow pepper in a baking dish and bake until the skin is black, about 35 minutes. Once it is cool enough to handle, peel, seed, and cut into strips.
In a large skillet, heat the 1/2 cup of the olive oil over medium-high heat, then cook the eggplant with a little salt until golden brown, about 8 minutes, turning them once. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and oregano. Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well with the vinaigrette, then arrange on a platter or in a shallow bowl, mold with your hands, and serve at room temperature.
Makes 12 meze servings, or starters
Author Note: This is a rice antipasto popular during the summer in Genoa. Although there was rice production in Lombardy's Po Valley in the fifteenth century, Genoa's rice was imported directly from Sicily at that time and so, too, their pasta. Italian riziculture had its beginnings in tenth-century Arab Sicily, but the most famous preparation for rice, coming from fifteenth century Lombardy, was the precursor to risotto. Risotto is more typical of the regions to the east of Liguria, while in Genoa and other Ligurian towns rice salads are more prevalent. I find that this platter makes an ideal late summer antipasto served before grilled [favorites].
Cuisine: "Italian"
Source: "Little Foods of the Mediterranean by Clifford Wright, 2003"
S(Formatted by Chupa Babi): "Sept 2012"
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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 278 Calories; 16g Fat (50.3% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 5mg Cholesterol; 321mg Sodium
Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat
