Japanese Eggplant and Olive Rice with Zucchini
One-pot rice dish with sautéed Japanese eggplant, zucchini, and olives simmered in vegetable broth infused with fresh marjoram. Rice cooks directly in the pot until tender, then finishes with a steam rest. Topped with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan for a light, herbaceous vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubevegetable stock2 cubes + 1 cup water = 2 cups stockliquids
fresh alternative to cubes
- 2 cup water
- 2 sprig fresh marjoram
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 1 zucchini, halved and sliced
- kosher salt(optional)
- ground black pepper(optional)
- 1 ounce olives, pitted and roughly choppedcapers0.75condiments
smaller, more briny, adjust quantity
- ¾ cup long grain white ricejasmine rice1:1grains
slightly more aromatic
- 2 sprig italian flat-leaf parsley, leaves removed and roughly chopped
- 2 ounce parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 japanese eggplant, halved and sliced
- 2 clove garlic, minced
Instructions
- 1
Grate the Parmesan cheese and set aside.
- 2
Remove leaves from Italian parsley and roughly chop; set aside.
- 3
Halve and slice the zucchini, onion, and Japanese eggplant.
- 4
Mince the garlic.
- 5
Pit and roughly chop the olives.
- 6
In a bowl, dissolve vegetable bouillon cubes in water with fresh marjoram sprigs and set aside.
- 7
Heat olive oil in a medium-large saucepot with lid over medium heat until oil lightly smokes.
- 8
Add onion and garlic, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- 9
Add zucchini, eggplant, salt, and pepper; cook while stirring for 3-4 minutes.
- 10
Add olives, fresh marjoram, rice, and vegetable stock.
- 11
Heat on high until mixture comes to a boil.
- 12
Cover with lid, lower heat to medium-low, and cook for 15-20 minutes until rice is fully cooked and tender.
- 13
Remove from heat, leave pot covered, and let sit to steam for 5-10 minutes.
- 14
Remove lid and fluff rice with a fork.
- 15
Remove marjoram sprigs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 16
Serve topped with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Tips
Heat oil until it just begins to smoke for better flavor development when sautéing aromatics.
Do not skip the 5-10 minute steam rest after cooking to allow rice to finish cooking and absorb remaining liquid.
Remove marjoram sprigs before serving if preferred, though they can remain as garnish.
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with splash of water to restore moisture.
Prep vegetables and chop herbs up to 4 hours ahead; store separately. Prepare bouillon mixture up to 2 hours ahead.
Serve warm, family-style directly from the pot or plated individually. Garnish each serving with fresh parsley and Parmesan.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the sauté step to avoid mushy vegetables and bland flavors.
Do not open lid during the 15-20 minute simmer to avoid releasing steam and extending cooking time.
Do not omit the steam rest to avoid undercooked rice in the center.