I was on a business trip this past winter to Vancouver and went with a client to a really nice Italian restaurant. Being a born and bred prairie kid raised on potatoes and beef, if I cant recognize the name, Im usually pretty leery about it. The menu lacked english so I ordered Cannelloni (usually pretty safe) with a side of arancini. When it arrived I was a little scared. Its saving grace was that it was deep fried. If it contains bacon, or is deep fried… Im usually good for at least a taste. I was in love at first bite. Here is my rendition of arancini in honour of my customer that I was with. He owns a wonderful mushroom farm and grows the most beautiful mushrooms. His portabellas are the size of dinner plates. One feeds our entire family.
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup good quality white wine
1 cup finely diced portabella mushroom.
Add all ingredients to a medium pot and cook over medium heat until rice is soft and all of the liquid is gone. Set the pot in the freezer to cool the rice until the heat has dissipated and it is cool to the touch.
In a mixing bowl mix:
The cold rice concoction from above
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup freshly ground parmesan cheese
Now the fun…
In a deep pot or deep fryer, heat about 2″ of good quality vegetable oil to 350°
Take approx 2 heaping tablespoons of the rice mixture in your hand. In each wad of rice, press a 1/2″ cube of mozzarella cheese into the centre and roll to make a nice round ball. Each ball will be approx 2″ in diameter.
Roll the balls in a bowl of panko bread crumbs until you cant feel the stickiness of the rice. I find it works best to fill my hand with panko then set the ball in it and roll it around like a child making a clay ball.
Repeat until all of the rice is used up. You should get around 10-14 balls.
Set each ball into the hot oil and cook each side until they are a nice golden brown turning once.
Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to soak up the oil.
Serve hot over a large dollop of your favourite warm marinara sauce. You’ll have to google one or buy it in a can… I cant be the answer to everything. Actually, wait. Sauce from a can would be sacrilegious. Make it. 😉
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