FRIED RISOTTO (ARACINI) AND RADISH SALAD
Lately I’ve been craving all things crispy, buttery and crunchy on top of fresh and snappy salads (there’s only so far a salad can go on its own in the winter!). Croutons are nice, but when I want a real treat---I make risotto, roll it into balls and stuff them with a little square of our favorite Alpine cheese. Then we toss them in Panko and frying them in olive oil—allora, Arancini. (Thank you, Italy!)
I guess you know by now that I’m a fan of all things Italian, but maybe fried risotto most of all. For parties and for little people, a row of these cheesy, warm bites can be dinner all on their own (my kids loved them dipped in marinara), but you haven’t lived until you’ve eaten arancini as a crunchy accompaniment to a salad, loaded with radish and herbs. Spread some harissa yogurt or a little hot-pepper labne on the plate first and you’ve got a super satisfying, winter vegetarian meal. All hail the cheese pull, and the magic of panko.
RECIPE BELOW
ARANCINI (FRIED RISOTTO) AND RADISH SALAD
RISOTTO
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoons fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup grated Alpine cheese, such as Grand Cru
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, plus for garnish
ARANCINI
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup fresh or frozen peas, optional
1 1/4 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
4 ounces Alpine cheese, such as Roth Grand Cru
Extra virgin olive oil, or canola, for frying
Fine sea salt, for sprinkling
Flaky salt, such as Maldon
Radish Salad, for serving (like this one)
To Make the Risotto: Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the wine and cook until the wine has evaporated, 1 minute more.
Stir in 2 cups (480 ml) of the warm broth and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add ½ cup (120 ml) of the broth and continue stirring, adding more broth ½ cup (120 ml) at a time, until the liquid has evaporated and the rice is al dente, 20 to 25 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice just cooked; add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the cheese and stir.
To Make the Arancini: Into the risotto, stir in 1 large egg, peas (if using) and ¼ cup of the panko to tighten (this will help the balls hold their shape, when fried).
Spread the risotto onto a cookie sheet or baking sheet and refrigerate until completely cool, about ½ hour. Use a cookie scoop to scoop the risotto into 2 tablespoon sized ( 1 ½-inch) balls. Roll between your fingers and set on a tray. When all the balls are rolled, press a small piece of Grand Cru into the center of each, and use your fingers to pat the rice around it.
Roll the rice balls in 1 cup Panko in a shallow bowl or plate until coated, and return to the cookie sheet. Refrigerate the balls for at least 1 hour and up to overnight (they can be prepped ahead, wrapped well and frozen at this point for up to two weeks).
When ready to fry, preheat about 2 inches of olive or canola oil (canola oil has a higher smoking point so can hold up over higher heat) over medium heat until shimmering. Test the temperature by gently adding one of the rice balls to the oil--it should sizzle and start to brown.
Fry the rice balls, three to four at a time, adjusting the heat to maintain a constant temperature of 350 degrees F. Continue frying the balls, rolling in the oil lightly with a slotted spoon to make sure they cook evenly on all sides and maintain their shape, until deeply golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per ball. Remove with a slotted spoon, letting all the excess oil drip back into the pot, and drain on paper towel lined plates. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Repeat with remaining balls, straining out any solids that are burning as needed. Serve warm, with marinara or harissa mayo and radish salad (use this one as starting point, though I prefer it with softer lettuces, like bibb or little gem, for this salad).
PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES
SERVES 8
images belong to Sarah Copeland, and should not be pinned or posted without attribution. **
Photo // HARRISON LUBIN
Food + Prop Styling // SARAH COPELAND
Ceramics // LOST QUARRY
Linens // ANTHROPOLOGIE