Month: June 2019

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Arancini (Risotto Balls)

Arancini with Marinara Sauce

Leigh and I first tried Arancini at Amore Trattoria Italiana here in Grand Rapids, MI. We also had attended a cooking demonstration with Amore’s Chef Jenna on making Risotto. After the demonstration Jenna explained how they make their Arancini, but didn’t give the recipe out – We all have secrets! Once again I had the thought, ‘I can make these’ and set out researching how to put these together. I tested them out on the family, and they turned out fantastic. Everyone went back for more.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 3-4 cups of vegetable broth
  • 4 Tbsp. salted butter (divided)
  • 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
  • 1-1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese (divided)
  • 2 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
  • 3 Tbsp. parsley (finely chopped)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup fontina cheese (cubbed)
  • 1-2 cups breadcrumbs (fine)
  • vegetable oil for frying
Arancini Ingredients

Preparation

Making the Risotto:

  1. Sauté onions in extra virgin olive oil and butter for 3 minutes in a large skillet until they become translucent and tender.
  2. Add Arborio rice, stirring for about 2 minutes to toast the rice.
  3. Stir in 1 cup of vegetable broth, continue cooking and stirring until all of the liquid is absorbed.
  4. Gradually stir in the remaining broth 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup of broth. (20 minutes)
  5. Add 2 Tbsp. of butter and 3/4 cup of grated parmesan and stir to thoroughly incorporate into the rice and onions.
  6. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Arancini (Risotto Balls):

  1. Beat eggs in a large bowl.
  2. Add in the parsley, remaining 3/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and thoroughly mix.
  3. Stir in the cooled risotto and thoroughly mix all ingredients.
  4. Cover and refrigerate rice mixture for at least 1 hour, or overnight. This allows the ingredients to set up and become firm.
  5. Put breadcrumbs into a small bowl.
  6. Scoop risotto mixture (I used a 1-1/2 Tbsp. scooper) and press a cavity into the risotto mixture.
  7. Place the fontina cheese cube into the cavity.
  8. Gently roll the mixture into ball around the chees cube.
  9. Roll the ball in breadcrumbs and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Note that this is very light breadcrumb coating.
  10. Heat vegetable oil (3/4 inch deep) or in a fryer if you have one to 350°
  11. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
  12. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; season with salt.

Note: At Step 9, you can freeze the Arancini to be cooked at a later date. I froze mine on the cookie sheet first, then vacuum sealed them frozen so that they held the ball shape.

Arancini – Hot and Delicious, Served with Marinara Sauce
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Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce

  • Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce

I have always loved a good fresh Spicy & Sweet Chili Sauce, it goes great with Asian food and shrimp, fish, pork tenderloin, chicken, turkey burger, etc. You can buy it in the grocery store, but homemade is just better. It is very versatile and goes great with many meats and dishes. I sautéed some shrimp up the other night and then put some of this sauce into the pan at the last minute to make a delicious sticky spicy and sweet shrimp for Leigh and me as a side to our salmon filets. Below is a simple

recipe for a tasty sauce that goes well with many meats and Asian foods.

Steamed Chinese Dumplings with Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Sautéed Shrimp
  • Sautéed Shrimp & Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4 oz. white sugar
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
  • 2-1/2 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek chili paste
  • 4 tsp. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp. water

Preparation:

  1. Add the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, soy sauce and cayenne pepper in to a pan.
  2. Heat over medium heat while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase to medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer around 2 minutes.
  3. Add the Sambal Oelek chili paste and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until it thickens slightly.
  4. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth and add this to the sauce as well.
  5. Stirring frequently to prevent the sauce from burning, simmer until it reaches the desired thickness, 2-3 minutes.
  6. Let cool to room temperature and put into an air-tight storage container, store in the fridge.
  • Spicy & Sweet Chili Sauce