Arancini With Taleggio Recipes

ARANCINI WITH SAGE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed.
• Gradually add broth 1 cup at a time, stirring, until rice is just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (You may not need to use all of broth.) Remove from heat and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and Parmesan. Add sage; season with coarse salt and pepper. Spread risotto in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Let cool completely.
• Form risotto into 1 1/2-inch balls. Insert a cube of Taleggio in center of each. Place flour, eggs, and panko in three shallow dishes; lightly beat eggs. Dredge each ball with flour, then dip in eggs and coat in panko. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Heat 2 inches oil to 360 degrees in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry balls in batches, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes a batch. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with flaky salt.
• Fry small sage leaves in oil until crisp and bright green, about 30 seconds. Top risotto balls with fried sage and serve.

ARANCINI BALLS

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan until foamy. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry gently over a low heat for 15 mins, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another min. Stir in the rice and cook for a further min, then pour in the wine. Bring to the boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in half the stock and simmer, stirring continuously, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time as the rice absorbs the liquid, stirring, until the rice is cooked through (this should take about 20-25 mins). Stir in the parmesan and lemon and season to taste. Spread the risotto out into a lipped tray and leave to cool to room temperature.
• Scoop the cooled risotto into 18 equal portions - they should be slightly larger than a golf ball. Flatten a risotto ball in your hand and put a piece of the mozzarella in the centre, then enclose the cheese in the rice and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining risotto balls.
• Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dip each prepared risotto ball into the flour, followed by the eggs and finally, the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a tray and set aside.
• Half-fill a large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-low until it reads 170C on a cooking thermometer or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in the oil within 45 seconds. Lower the risotto balls into the oil in batches and cook for 8-10 mins, or until golden brown and melted in the centre. Set aside on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel.
• Eat the arancini warm, or serve with a basic tomato sauce for dipping.