There are crossroads where two worlds come together. If you’re a food enthusiast, expert or “foodie”, then you probably know this as fusion in our world. Fusion cuisine is the delicious crossroads of two or more delicacies ranging from different cultures. Jollof Risotto is a path that takes one of the most loved Nigerian (West-African) dishes into the lane of Risotto, a classic Italian favourite. I believe in the power of simple meals and the magic they make. Risotto to its fans is the ultimate magic. While Jollof with its recent increase in culinary mileage creates a powerful hold on anyone that tries it.
Furthermore, upon this Jollof Risotto fusion expedition. Instead of simply crossing the paths of two main dishes, I invited both of their undisputed sides. Plantain is the unofficial side dish to Jollof rice and Braised veal a.k.a ‘Ossobuco’ which is the renowned pairing for the classic Milanese risotto. Might I also mention that risotto originates from the northern Italian region of Lombardy, of which the capital city is Milan? This dish really is a cultural journey for your palate.
Although my first experience with risotto in Milan wasn’t the best. Due to unmet high expectations at a dodgy restaurant as I explained here. Currently, risotto is one of my favourite Italian food to eat and to cook as well. Another great risotto recipe that is a perfect blend of Italian and Nigerian cuisine is my Banga “Palm fruit” Risotto: a Southern Nigerian fusion
Jollof Risotto with Ossobuco & Plantain
Ingredients
For the Ossobuco (Braised Veal) and Plantain:
For the Jollof sauce:
- 190 g red bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
- 4 plum tomatoes
- 1 thumb size ginger
- 1 garlic clove
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
For the Rissoto
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 small scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup dry white wine
Instructions
- Chop the bell pepper, tomatoes, red onions, ginger and garlic. Place in a blender and blitz. Set aside for later
Cooking the Ossobuco and plantain
- Rub each piece of Ossobuco with your favourite steak spice mix, on both sides. Then coat with flour all over and set aside.
- Peel the skins off the plantains and cut vertically into halves. Cut to split each half horizontally. Now you have 4 flat-faced pieces.
- Make a slit from top to bottom of each piece, then chop into tiny bite sizes.
- Place in a pan with water and salt. Bring to a boil for 1 minute.
- Drain the plantains and soak off the excess liquid with a paper towel.
- Pour sunflower oil into a deep pot over medium-high heat. Pour in the plantains and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove the plantains and set aside (preferably in a warm oven).
- Now place the seasoned and coated Ossobuco into the hot oil and fry for 3 minutes on both sides.
Cooking the Jollof sauce:
- Reduce the heat of the pot with oil to low and pour in the previously blended tomato mix
- Toss in the bay leaf, place a lid over and allow to simmer 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, take out the Ossobuco and set aside (also in a warm oven). Also, remove the pot from heat and set the sauce aside for later
Cooking the Risotto and bringing it all together
- Place a pan over medium heat and pour in the olive oil. Add the chopped yellow onion and scotch bonnet peppers, then cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the rice and toss together until well-coated with the oil. Deglaze the pan with white wine and reduce until the pan is almost dry.
- Add 1 cup of vegetable stock to the rice. Stir the rice until the stock is absorbed and the pan is almost dry. Continue adding the stock, 1 cup at a time, until the rice softens but still feels firm. It should be creamy, but not runny.
- Stir in the Jollof sauce until it incorporates, then season with salt and smoked paprika. Stir together and remove the risotto from the heat.
- Dish the risotto in a plate with the stewed Ossobuco and plantains. Enjoy!
15 Responses
What a delicious meal. Looks so comforting!
This is so creative! I love fusion and jollof rice. I will have to give it a try.
This ossobuco took me back to culinary school! It was the first dish I made in my European Cuisines class and it was such a tasty memory!
So comforting and hearty. The veal is perfect here!
I love the fusion of different cuisines in this dish!! It was incredible!
Wow – I love the way you seamlessly joined two cultures with rich culinary history on my plate. This makes a great feast to enjoy for any holiday or special occasion! So delicious!
This is just packed with flavor. I was skeptical about turning Jollof rice into risotto but It’s so good. Thanks for a great recipe!
Beautifully explosive flavor! I enjoyed how the spiciness of the jollof risotto contrasted with the sweetness of the plantain. The ossobucco was so soft and this recipe is my fave!
Jollof is a risotto is such a wonderful idea and works really well. I’ve always been afraid to make risotto, but your steps made it really clear and helped me make a creamy version.
What a flavorful and satisfying meal for a cold, winter day.
Oh my goodness this was absolutely amazing! It is packed full of flavor- and your instructions made it simple to follow. Thanks for sharing this recipe with the world.
I was SO excited to try this! It’s an incredible fusion of these cuisines — I just knew I had to try it for a special dinner this past weekend. It was amazing! It was my first time making ossobuco and it came out SO great! The way the flavors in the meat combined with the Jollof sauce and the plantains was perfect.
This was such a delicious meal! My family and I loved it!
Loved this spin on some of my favorite flavors and was surprised I could pull it off! I did a test run for Valentine’s Day and can’t wait to serve it.
This is one of the most flavorful recipes that I’ve ever tried! The ossobuco was super tender and that risotto was out of this world!!