Name: Saffron arancini
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: serving
Cuisine: Cooking Method
Ingredients: 1 tbsp butter; 50 g chorizo minced; 1 shallot finely diced; 1 leek washed,halved and finely chopped; 2 fresh thyme stems, destalked; lemon halved and zested; 1 cup rice arborio; 80 ml wine white; 1 l stock chicken; 1/4 tsp saffron powder or threads; 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated; 2 tbsp butter; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 100 g mozzarella cheese cubed; 2-3 eggs lightly whisked; 1/2 flour; 1/3 breadcrumbs dried; 1 breadcrumbs panko; 1 l vegetable oil for frying

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Ingredients (19)

For the saffron risotto:

1 tbsp	butter
50 g	chorizo — minced
1	shallot — finely diced
1	leek — washed,halved and finely chopped
2	fresh thyme — stems, destalked
	lemon — halved and zested
1 cup	rice — arborio
80 ml	wine — white
1 l	stock — chicken
1/4 tsp	saffron — powder or threads
1/3 cup	parmesan cheese — grated
2 tbsp	butter
	sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the arancini:

100 g	mozzarella cheese — cubed
2-3	eggs — lightly whisked
1/2	flour
1/3	breadcrumbs — dried
1	breadcrumbs — panko
1 l	vegetable oil — for frying

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Method:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the chorizo and cook for several minutes until the red oils are rendered out. Remove and set aside.

Pour the stock into a separate saucepan, add the saffron threads and place on a heat source to keep hot.

Sauté the shallot until softened but not coloured. Add the leeks and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the thyme and lemon zest.

Add the rice and stir through to coat in the buttery oils. Allow the rice to toast for about a minute.

Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce by half.

Now add the hot chicken stock, one ladle at a time allowing the rice to absorb the stock before adding the next ladle.

Continue stirring all the while. This agitates the rice and releases the starch and results in a creamy risotto.

Once all the stock is used up the risotto should be al dente. Cooking time is between 22-25 minutes. If the rice is not yet cooked, add a little extra water.

Finally, add the chorizo, parmesan and 2 tablespoons butter. Season with black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To make the arancini, combine the breadcrumbs and panko crumbs. Place the eggs, flour and crumbs into three separate bowls.

Scoop generous tablespoon amounts of cold risotto in the palm of your hand. Flatten out slightly and place a piece of mozzarella in each. Close and roll into a ball. Repeat until you’ve used all the risotto mixture.

Pour the oil into a saucepan and bring up to 180º C.

Dredge the arancini in flour, followed by the egg and then in the breadcrumb mixture. Carefully lower into the oil and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until golden underneath. Turn over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Drain on paper towels and eat while still warm and the cheese is molten inside.

Reprinted with the permission of Bibbyskitchen@36.

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