Arancini with Fennel Salad
Speed - 95%
Simplicity - 95%
Tastiness - 100%
97%
Delicious!
Just when I thought risotto couldn't get any better, this Arancini with Fennel Salad recipe comes along! Delicious with the fresh crisp salad on the side.
Ingredients
Arancini
- Canola or Peanut Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 small Onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Galic crushed
- 2 cups Arborio Rice
- 1 cup White Wine
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1.5 ounce Parmesan cheese grated
- Sea salt and Fresh Black Pepper
- 12 ounces Mozarella diced and drained
- 1 cup Flour
- 2 Eggs beaten
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
Fennel Salad
- 0.75 cups Creme Fraiche
- 1.5 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoon Sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- Fresh Black Pepper
- 2 medium Fennel Bulbs thinly sliced
- 1 Hothouse Cucumber thinly sliced
- Fennel Fronds
Instructions
Arancini
- Melt butter in large saucepot, add onion and garlic and sweat till translucent.
- Stir in arborio rice and toast, while stirring, till aromatic and rice is starting to cook, 3-5 minutes.
- Add white wine and bring to a boil then simmer for a couple minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the stock in a separate pan.
- Ladle the stock into the rice over medium heat, stirring the entire time until the stock is absorbed, then add another ladle until all the stock is used, 20-25 minutes. Make sure it is creamy and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread over a baking tray to cool quickly, press plastic wrap to the top, and store in the fridge until very cold.
- Warm about 2 inches canola or peanut oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- Set up the eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.
- Shape the rice mixture around the mozzarella pieces to form 15-18 balls.
- Then dredge the balls in flour, dip into the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
- Deep fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drain.
Fennel Salad
- Blend crème fraiche, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and toss with sliced fennel and cucumber.
Risotto is an Italian dish well-loved by so many. It's also a dish that might be made in such large batches that there could easily be leftovers the next day, and I'm sure that is exactly how Arancini evolved! These delicious deep-fried balls are ideal made with next-day risotto, but just as good if you make everything the same day. Pieces of fresh mozzarella studded in the center get just soft enough once the arancini are fried to make a creamy, melty interior.
Melt a knob of butter in large saucepot till it's hot, and add the onion and garlic. Sweat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, till just translucent. Stir in the Arborio rice and toast it lightly, stirring all the while, till the very tips of the rice begin to cook and become translucent. Meanwhile, warm the chicken stock till it's steaming but not simmering, in a separate sauce pan.
Turn the heat up to high on the rice and add the white wine. Bring the rice and wine mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, cooking for a couple minutes to cook off the alcohol. Just before the wine is gone, use a ladle to add a scoop of the warm stock into the rice, stirring the entire time until the stock is absorbed. You want to cook the risotto over the course of 20-25 minutes, adding the already-warm stock in three to four additions. It is important to stir evenly the whole time, as this will ensure the rice becomes creamy. Once most of the chicken stock is absorbed and the risotto is creamy, stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Spread over a baking tray to cool quickly, pressing plastic wrap to the top to prevent a crust from forming, and store in the fridge (or freezer) until it is very cold (but not frozen). Meanwhile, warm two inches of canola or peanut oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Set up the eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. I prefer a medium-textured breadcrumb as the crunchy bigger flakes of crumb are nicer on the risotto balls than the finer textured breadcrumb like a Panko.
Once the risotto is fully chilled, pull off the plastic wrap and grab your drained mozzarella pieces. Shape the rice mixture around the mozzarella pieces to form 15-18 balls. You can do this by forming large balls with the rice and pressing the mozzarella pieces in, making sure they are completely surrounded by rice mixture.
If there is part of the cheese exposed they will release liquid into the frying oil and cause spattering and uneven cooking of the arancini.
Finally, to complete the arancini dredge the balls in flour, dip into the egg mixture, and finally coat evenly in the breadcrumbs. Fry in batches for 2-3 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels till ready to serve.
For the fennel salad, blend crème fraiche, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and toss with the sliced fennel and cucumber.
Serve alongside arancini.
Ingredients
Arancini
- Canola or Peanut Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 small Onion finely diced
- 2 cloves Galic crushed
- 2 cups Arborio Rice
- 1 cup White Wine
- 2 cups Chicken Stock
- 1.5 ounce Parmesan cheese grated
- Sea salt and Fresh Black Pepper
- 12 ounces Mozarella diced and drained
- 1 cup Flour
- 2 Eggs beaten
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
Fennel Salad
- 0.75 cups Creme Fraiche
- 1.5 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 0.5 teaspoon Sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- Fresh Black Pepper
- 2 medium Fennel Bulbs thinly sliced
- 1 Hothouse Cucumber thinly sliced
- Fennel Fronds
Instructions
Arancini
- Melt butter in large saucepot, add onion and garlic and sweat till translucent.
- Stir in arborio rice and toast, while stirring, till aromatic and rice is starting to cook, 3-5 minutes.
- Add white wine and bring to a boil then simmer for a couple minutes.
- Meanwhile, warm the stock in a separate pan.
- Ladle the stock into the rice over medium heat, stirring the entire time until the stock is absorbed, then add another ladle until all the stock is used, 20-25 minutes. Make sure it is creamy and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
- Spread over a baking tray to cool quickly, press plastic wrap to the top, and store in the fridge until very cold.
- Warm about 2 inches canola or peanut oil in heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- Set up the eggs, flour, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.
- Shape the rice mixture around the mozzarella pieces to form 15-18 balls.
- Then dredge the balls in flour, dip into the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs.
- Deep fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove and drain.
Fennel Salad
- Blend crème fraiche, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and toss with sliced fennel and cucumber.
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