Pomegranate Fontina Rice Balls Recipes

POMEGRANATE FONTINA RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Heat grapeseed oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add rice, and toast, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add wine. Heat over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add 2 cups water and the rosemary. Cook, stirring constantly and adding 2 cups water at a time, plus more if needed, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes more. Discard rosemary sprigs.
• Add Parmesan and butter, and season with salt and pepper. (Mixture will loosely hold its shape.) Transfer to a baking sheet, and refrigerate until cooled, about 2 hours or overnight.
• Transfer rice to a bowl, and stir in fontina and pomegranate seeds. Form into 1 3/4-inch balls, and transfer to a clean baking sheet. Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs to coat, then in egg mixture, then again in breadcrumbs, returning to baking sheet as you work.
• Heat 4 inches safflower oil in a medium pot until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 350 degrees. Working in batches, carefully drop rice balls into oil, and fry until golden, about 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plates to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

RICE BALLS WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE, PEAS, MOZZARELLA AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• For the meat sauce: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Remove the ground beef to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add the carrots, celery, onion and tomato paste to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Then, add the cooked ground beef and red wine. Cook for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and rosemary, bring to a simmer until the sauce has reduced, about 45 minutes. Fold in the peas.
• For the tomato sauce: Blend the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Add the tomatoes and garlic to a large pot. Tie the basil and parsley together in a bundle using kitchen string and add to the pot. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt. Remove the herb bouquet.
• For the breadcrumb mixture: Mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley in a bowl.
• For the Arborio rice balls: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Simmer the rice, covered, until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice with a fork. Spread the rice out on a sheet tray to cool, until it is just slightly warm.
• Put the cooled rice into a large bowl. Fold the eggs and the Locatelli cheese into the rice, being careful not to overwork and damage the rice.
• Form some of the rice into a "cup" shape. Holding it in one hand, put some of the meat sauce inside the cup. Add some of the ricotta and fresh mozzarella, and a little more meat sauce. Make a second "cup" of rice and press it together with the filled cup. The rice ball should be about the size of a baseball. Continue with the remaining rice and filling.
• Fill a heavy-bottomed saucepan with 6 inches of peanut oil and place over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Roll the rice balls in the breadcrumb mixture. Deep-fry until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Spoon the tomato sauce on the bottom of each plate. Place a rice ball in the center of the dish. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and parsley.

ITALIAN RICE BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cheese, parsley, pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate.
• Pour water and 1 teaspoon salt into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and reduce heat to low. Cook rice until water is almost absorbed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and slowly pour in egg mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent egg from scrambling. Allow rice mixture to cool for 1 hour.
• Pour bread crumbs into a pile on one end of a cutting board. Dampen hands and roll rice mixture into 1 inch balls, then coat each one with bread crumbs.
• In a small, deep skillet, heat olive oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (Should have enough oil to completely cover rice balls.) Fry rice balls 6 at a time, turning as needed to ensure even browning. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

BAKED FONTINA

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack 5 inches from the heat.
• Distribute the cubes of Fontina evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle on the olive oil. Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sprinkle it over the cheese and olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and place the pan under the broiler for 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and starts to brown.
• Serve the baked Fontina family-style¿right out of the oven in the cast-iron pan with crusty chunks of bread for everyone to dip.

PARMESAN RICE BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix rice, spinach, cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 2 eggs.
• Shape mixture into 1 inch balls.
• In a pie plate, using a fork, beat 1 tbls water with remaining egg.
• Dip rice balls in egg, then into bread crumbs to coat evenly.
• In a 5 quart Dutch oven, heat 3/4 inch of oil over medium heat.
• Fry rice balls a few at a time for 1 1/2 minutes or until golden brown, drain on paper towels and serve warm.

POMEGRANATE BAKED RICE AND ONIONS WITH DILL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or large, shallow gratin dish.
• Coarsely chop one of the yellow onions. Cut the remaining yellow and red onions from root to stem into ¾-inch-thick wedges and set aside.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine chopped yellow onion, 2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, partly covered, until onions are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain onions, saving the onion broth. (You should have about ¾ to 1 cup broth.) Transfer onions to a bowl, and set aside broth and onions.
• In the same skillet (no need to clean it), melt 6 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in shallots and cook until tender, 4 to 6 minutes longer.
• Add rice and cooked chopped onion. Stir in baharat, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons onion broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until rice softens slightly and absorbs most of the liquid, about 15 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick to the pan, add another tablespoon or two of onion broth.
• Stir in dill. Spoon rice mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Shingle onion wedges on top, alternating between red and yellow onions.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together pomegranate juice, olive oil, honey, pepper, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ cup onion broth. Pour over the onions and rice.
• Cover pan with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover pan and continue to bake until the rice is tender and onions are soft, glossy and sticky, about 35 to 45 minutes longer. Serve with yogurt, if you like, and more dill.

ITALIAN RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix the ground beef & rice together then stir in the cheese, parmesan, & spices.
• Mix the egg in with the meat mixture to bind it together. With slightly moist fingers, shape the mixture into small balls.
• Heat a small amount (about 1/4 inch) of oil in a frying pan. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs then fry until golden brown & crisp. Drain on paper towels & serve immediately.