Recipe - Barley Risotto With Shrimp Eggplant

7 tablespoon Olive oil
1 Shallot; minced
2 cup Pearl barley
8 cup Vegetable stock
3 Japanese eggplant
10 Lg shrimp; peeled cut 4 piec
One fourth cup Grated pecorino cheese

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over mediumhigh heat. Add
shallot and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add barley; stir to coat
with the oil. Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking barley, stirring
occasionally, for 23 minutes; take care not to let it brown. While barley
is cooking, bring vegetable stock to a boil. Add vegetable stock to barley,
a cup at time. Cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is almost absorbed
before adding more liquid. Keep adding liquid, stirring frequently until
barley pearls are al dente, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cut eggplant into
1/2inch cubes. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over
mediumhigh heat. Saute eggplant, stirring frequently, until soft, about 12
minutes. Set aside. Using skillet in which eggplant was cooked, add
remaining tablespoon of oil. Saute shrimp until pink. When barley is done,
stir in eggplant and shrimp. Add grated pecorino cheese. Serve. Source:
Odette Fada, Rex Il Restaurante, Los Angeles Fada's barley risotto is easy
to make. It's a great way to offer the luxury of shellfish. Because the
shrimp is cut into pieces, you only a halfpound of it to make risotto for
68 people. Despite the shrimp, this dish is predominantly grain. It's high
in complex carbohydrates and fiber, and low in fat. But it's so exciting
that one hesitates to label it with the stigma of "healthy eating." Best of
all, here's a dish that fits the proverbial champagne taste on a beer
budget; in total, ingredients for this risotto cost about $10. Add a salad
and a cheese course and you can feed a small dinner party for about $5 a
head.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini