Stuffed Rice Balls Arancine Recipes

STUFFED RICE BALLS " ARANCINE"

Steps:

• Make the Ragu up to 3 days in advance. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Crumble the meat and add the onions. Cook stirring often, until the water given off is evaporated and the meat and onion begin to brown, about 10 minute.
• Season the meat and onion lightly with salt. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue cooking until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, the tomato paste, red pepper and salt to taste. Adjust the heat to simmering and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened about 30 minutes. If the sauce begins sticking to the pan at any time add a few tablespoons of water. Stir in the peas and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. The finished ragu should be dense and reduced. Remove and cool to room temperature.
• WHILE THE RAGU IS COOLING MAKE THE RICE. Bring the stock and 2 tablespoons olive oil to a boil in a 3 quart sauce pan. Stir in the rice and return to the boil, then adjust heat to a simmer. Cook the rice uncovered until tender but firm about 12 minutes. Drain the rice and spread out on a tray to cool to room temperature. When rice is cool scrape into a mixing bowl and beat in the four eggs and the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Take a handful, about 1/3 cup of the cooled mixture and shape into a ball in the palm of your hand. Make a well in the center of the ball and drop in 1 tablespoon of ragu. Work the rice ball until it is completely encloses the ragu, and reform the rice into a firm ball. Continue forming arancine with the remaining rice and ragu.
• Whisk the 2 eggs in a mixing bowl. Spread the flour on one plate and the bread crumbs on the other, in an even layer.
• Dredge a few of the rice balls in flour to coat all sides. Tap off excess flour . Roll the rice balls in the beaten egg to coat, allowing any excess to drip back into the bowl. Finally roll the rice balls in the bread crumbs, pressing lightly to coat evenly with the crumbs. Remove to a clean baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining rice balls.
• If you would like to serve the balls hot, heat the oven to 200°F or to the lowest setting. Line a baking sheet with a double thickness of paper towels. Pour the vegetable oil and the olive oil into a deep skillet. Insert a deep frying thermometer and heat the oil to 375°F If working without a thermometer the oil around the rice ball must simmer and give a steady sizzle. Don't cook too hot, adjust heat as needed.
• When the oil comes to temperature, carefully slip about 1/3 of the rice balls into the oil. Fry turning with tongs and slotted spoons until golden brown and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the paper towel lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Fry the remaining balls. The arancine can be served warm or at room temperature.

FRIED AND STUFFED RICE BALLS (ARANCINI DI RISO)

Steps:

• Breading: Put the bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Filling: In a medium bowl, combine the risotto, bread crumbs, Parmesan, basil, and eggs. With damp hands, using about 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture, form the mixture into 1 3/4-inch diameter balls. Make a hole in the center of each ball and insert a cube of Gorgonzola. Cover up the hole to completely enclose the cheese. Roll the balls in the breading to coat.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour in enough oil to fill the pan about 1/3 of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. (If you dont have a thermometer, a cube of bread will brown in about 2 minutes.) In batches, fry the rice balls, turning occasionally, until golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the broth hot.
• In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup hot broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next. Cook the rice until tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining butter, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
• Yield: 2 cups

STUFFED ARANCINI

Steps:

• For the risotto: Puree the corn and Parmesan in a food processor until paste-like and almost completely smooth. Set aside.
• Heat a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter, and heat until the butter is melted. Add the shallots and garlic; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until soft and fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the salt and stir in the rice; cook for one minute. Deglaze with the wine and reduce the heat to medium; simmer, stirring, until the wine is almost fully absorbed. Stir in the chicken broth and rosemary; cook, stirring often, until the rice is tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the corn puree.
• Spread the risotto out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
• For the arancini: Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls. Combine the flour and salt in the first bowl; whisk the eggs in the second bowl; mix the panko and cornmeal in the third. Using a 1-tablespoon ice cream scoop, scoop a ball of risotto into the palm of your hand. Press a piece of chicken sausage into the center of the ball, then shape the ball to make sure it is completely covered. Roll the ball in the flour, then in the egg, and, finally, in the breadcrumbs, making sure the ball is completely coated. Place the arancini on a rimmed baking sheet and continue with the remaining risotto.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inches of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Fry the arancini in batches of 5 or 6, using a spider or slotted spoon to carefully lower the rice balls into the oil. Fry until deep golden brown and heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper-towel-lined tray.
• Serve warm with marinara for dipping, if desired.

HAM AND CHEESE ARANCINI (ITALIAN FRIED RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• Saute onion in 1 T butter over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• In a bowl lightly beat 2 eggs. Stir in cooked rice, ham, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, sauteed onion, seasoned salt, garlic salt, parsley and pepper.
• Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll into 1-1/2-inch balls.and press a cheese cube into each ball, reshaping around the cheese.(I have used havarti and swiss in place of the cheddar with fantastic results!).
• Place the flour into a small bowl. Whisk 2 eggs in a second small bowl. Place the dry breadcrumbs in a third small bowl.
• Dip each ball into flour, then into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.
• Heat oil to 375 degrees, then fry rice balls until golden brown (about 4 minutes). You can also shallow fry them in oil, turning to brown.
• Drain on paper towels and enjoy! They are nice dipped in french onion dip, ranch dip or all on their own.

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.