Recipe provided by Neff.
INGREDIENTS
200g Arborio risotto rice
½ vegetable stock cube
175ml dry white wine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
15g mixed dried wild mushrooms
250g chestnut mushrooms, diced
50g Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
20g butter
6 thyme sprigs, leaves only
½ a lemon, juice only
100g burrata, torn into small chunks
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
Plain flour
125g white breadcrumbs
1 litre vegetable oil
PREPARATION
1. Add the dried mushrooms to a small bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 20 minutes while you start risotto.
2. Sweat onion, garlic and butter over low heat for 5-6 minutes, then add sliced chestnut mushrooms and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add rice and stir into the onions for 30 seconds. Next add white wine and turn up heat to boil off the alcohol.
4. Whilst the wine is cooking off, place a sieve over a bowl and strain the mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Pour the soaking liquid into a large measuring jug, being careful to discard the last tablespoon which will contain some grit. Add boiling water to a total volume of 600ml and stir in the stock cube.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer. Finely chop the soaked mushrooms and add to pan. Add a small ladleful of hot stock to the rice, stir through and leave to simmer.
6. Once the rice has nearly absorbed all the liquid, add a little more stock, stir through, and leave to simmer again. Continue adding stock a little at a time for approx. 25-30 minutes, until rice is soft with a little bit of bite in the centre.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, lemon juice and thyme. Taste and season accordingly. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until completely cool.
8. To form the arancini, spread a large spoonful of risotto across your palm. Place a chunk of burrata in the centre then wrap the risotto around it to form a smooth ball, adding a little more risotto if required. Repeat with all the risotto. Then refrigerate to firm up for an hour.
9. One at a time, gently roll arancini in flour, coat in egg and then coat well in breadcrumbs. Return to the refrigerator whilst you heat the cooking oil.
10. Pour vegetable oil into a saucepan and heat until it reaches 160°C on a cooking thermometer, or until a few breadcrumbs turn golden after 10-15 seconds in the oil. Deep fry arancini two at a time for 6 minutes, or until crisp and golden, adjusting heat to ensure oil remains between 150°C and 160°C. Transfer cooked arancini to a plate lined with kitchen roll to absorb any oil.
