Eatentions

Organic * Local * Sustainable

risotto

Arancini

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Arancini|Eatentions

Arancini, risotto rolled into a ball and filled with gorgonzola dolce cheese and fried. The memory takes me right back to Roma and my favorite food vendor, Gabriel. Each day, he was parked close to the infamous Spanish Steps and the enticing aromas floating from his wooden cart, drew me as we passed by.

After our exchange of friendly greetings, he would offer me one of his hand made arancini balls, the famous fried rice balls of the area. In his thick but seductive accent, he would describe these heavenly bites he made fresh each day. Each time I took a bite, the crunch coupled with the soft melted cheese and al dente risotto created a melody in my mouth one can only experience. Simple but utterly delicious, I looked forward each day to sample (and of course purchase) his famous arancini.

We became fast friends, exchanging stories of travel and his recommendations of sights to see, all of which never failed as we were directed to the local delights in both food and culture. Our days directed us because of Gabriel and my pre-planned itinerary was quickly erased upon the realization that there is no google search for the memories he helped create for us. I will never forget the experience.

So as I write the blog and recipe for these arancini, I fondly remember Gabriel and our journey through Roma and happiness he and his wooden cart gave to all that took the time to stop, sample, and listen. Grazie Gabriel, this is an ode to you…..

Arancini
 
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Ingredients
  • For Risotto:
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Large Onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 4 cups Chicken Stock, kept HOT
  • 1 to 1½ cups Dry White Wine
  • 2 tablespoons Butter
  • ¾ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • For Arancini:
  • Canola oil for frying
  • Breadcrumbs
  • 4 ounces Gorgonzola Dolce
  • fryer or dutch oven with 3 inches of oil and heated to 375
Instructions
  1. For Risotto:
  2. Coat a large saucepan generously with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and sweat them until translucent, about 5 minutes. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, letting the rice slightly stick to the bottom of the pan and scraping it off. It should also sound crackly.
  3. Add the wine to the pan until it covers the surface of the rice. Season with salt and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the wine has absorbed into the rice. Add chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, to the pan. Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring continuously until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process with the hot saffron chicken stock.
  4. When the third addition of the stock has absorbed and the rice is very creamy, bite a couple grains of rice to be sure it is cooked perfectly. If it is still a little crunchy, add a little more stock and cook the rice for another couple of minutes. When the rice is cooked perfectly, remove it from the heat. (Want it al-dente)
  5. Toss in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano and "whip it”. The rice should be creamy but still flow and hold its own shape. Cool and refrigerate 4 hours or upto overnight.
  6. For Arancini:
  7. Take risotto out of fridge. Heat oil in dutch oven or heat fryer to 375.
  8. Pour some breadcrumbs in a bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  9. Take ⅛ cup or so of risotto and roll into a ball. Put in a little gorgonzola dolce in middle of ball and re-shape. Roll in breadcrumbs and place on cookie sheet.
  10. Repeat with remaining risotto and gorgonzola dolce
  11. Put into fridge til ready to fry or fry right away.
  12. Put 4 balls into oil and allow to cook for about 3-4 minutes or until deep golden and heated through.
  13. Remove and put on a plate lined with paper towels.
  14. Repeat until done and place into warming oven until ready to eat or eat right away

Arancini|Eatentions

 

Delicata Squash Boats with Pancetta, Porcini, and Fried Sage Risotto

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squash boats 2

For me, risotto is one of those simple life pleasures. It’s a comfort food on a cold day or the perfect side dish to any grilled meat in the summer. The only trick with risotto is making sure it is “al dente” and not mushy hence the necessity to hover over the stove stirring and tasting consistently, adding liquid very slowly.

I was so lucky to learn to make risotto from my Italian aunt in the Piedmont area of Italy. I mean, that is risotto country so I better learn from the best or not carry a Northern Italian last name, simple as that, period.

We were on one of our jaunts to visit the family and I made the “casual” comment about loving risotto. Well, let me tell you, don’t ever make a “casual” comment about anything food related to an Italian relative. I had no idea what I had released.

First came the phone calls to the other family relatives “intensely” communicating something about “non hai fatto risotto per la famiglia? Mai????? Mama mia! Then the phone slams down and another call is made, same question but this time the phone slams down with “Ah Madonna!” And the list continues…..each time the same question and the ending disgust. Yikees, all I mentioned was that I liked risotto, I didn’t need any relatives killed over some cooked rice.

We sat quietly as my aunt stomped around, shooed her children to the small grocery store down the street, and mumbled obscenities to herself. At this point, I just wanted a drink.

After about 30 minutes the children arrived and my aunt gazed out into the room where I sat and said, “viene qui!” and I quickly obeyed and came into the kitchen.

What ensued next was a sheer blessing in disguise, an afternoon filled with loving determination to show me (and feed us) the perfect risotto dish. The instruction began with a description of every ingredient (the proper ones) to use to make risotto. The rice, the homemade stock, the onions, the wine, the butter, the parmigiano cheese, this is the base and from here, it’s personal choice what else one wishes to add. During our lesson, she chose veggies from her garden. I took notes like a mad woman and drank in all of her divine wisdom.

As the time progressed, I knew I was receiving something most people wished for, instruction from the true masters of Italian cuisine, the ones that hold the keys to generations before and the knowledge of all that is passed down through the kitchen and I was the lucky recipient.

I learned to use the perfect pot, to heat the stock, to sauté the onions first, (veggies here if desired), add the rice, then the wine, and then patience begins while the stock gets added, ½ cup at a time and stirred until absorbed and tasted. This continues until the perfect “bite” occurs and not a minute before. It is then pulled off the stove, butter added and then parmigiano stirred in……

The final dish is decadent, creamy and piping hot, my mouth was watering. The final demand, risotto HAS to be eaten right away, we were happy to follow command.

My aunt spooned it into a big bowl and topped with a little more parmigiano. I watched as the steam came off the rice and the cheese melted instantly. My mouth was watering. It didn’t take long to devour.

This recipe is an ode to my aunt who took that simple comment and taught me an art form. I will never forget that day and I always hear her instructions every time I recreate her masterpiece.

I decided to add porcini mushrooms, pancetta, and fried sage to her recipe and use roasted delicata squash from our garden to serve it in. It’s a 100% edible and makes for a great presentation.

fried sage

 

squash boats

risotto 2

Table

A SPECIAL THANKS TO MY NEW FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER, MY NIECE RACHEL! SHE ROCKS!!

Delicata Squash Boats with Pancetta, Porcini, and Fried Sage Risotto
 
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This recipe is an ode to my aunt who taught me an art form. I always hear her instructions every time I recreate her masterpiece. I decided to add porcini mushrooms, pancetta, and fried sage to her recipe and use roasted delicata squash from our garden to serve it in. It’s a 100% edible and makes for a great presentation.
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
  • 4 delicata squash, cut in half, seeded, and roasted, can use acorn or other squash
  • 2 cups of carnaroli rice, can use arborio rice
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 8 slices of pancetta, diced
  • 15 porcini mushooms, sliced thin, can use shitake mushrooms
  • 15 sage leaves, fried in a little truffle oil, 5 broken into pieces and others left whole
  • 7 cups of homemade chicken stock, can use canned
  • ½ cup pinot grigio wine
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • 2 T butter
  • Freshly grated parmigiano cheese
Instructions
  1. Turn oven on to 350. Place cut squash, face down and roast til soft when fork is inserted. Set aside
  2. In a pot that is wider than it is tall, turn onto medium heat.
  3. Add 2 T olive oil and heat.
  4. Add shallot and pancetta and stir with wooden spoon until shallot is translucent.
  5. Add mushroom and stir.
  6. Add a little salt and pepper.
  7. Cook until mushroom begins to soften and add broken sage pieces.
  8. Add rice and stir.
  9. Add wine and stir til dissolved.
  10. Start adding stock, ½ cup at a time and stir til dissolved. Keep tasting until rice reaches "al dente"
  11. Pull off stove and add butter, stir
  12. Add ½ cup of parmigiano
  13. Spoon into each half of squash, top with some more cheese and one piece of whole sage leaf. Repeat til all squash are filled.
  14. Serve immediately

 

Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto

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I can still taste the first time we ate these, on the streets of Rome in a small trattoria in Trastevere, you know the ones, down the last alley on the right, dimly lite and a table or two sitting in front of modest facia. These are ALWAYS the best “stumbles”, they NEVER disappoint and we seem to end up back there at least another night, or two, or three. On this trip, I think it was three. We became known enough to have a table reserved for the following evening, same one, in front, with a red tablecloth and a candelabra. I know there are a million of these in Rome but it didn’t matter because this one hit a magical note.

When we sat down to this meal I honestly thought that maybe I didn’t get the memo that I had ordered my last meal of my life….I would have been okay with that, really. It was 4 courses of sheer bliss and this was just one of of the many delicious delectables. We started with freshly forged mushrooms and baby potatoes sautéed in butter and served with crostini and then moved onto homemade pasta with freshly shaved truffles from Alba and then onto the infamous calamari dish and only to finish off with the BEST tiramisu and espresso I have ever had. Oh did I mention the  amazing wine with every course?  Now you get why I would have been fine with this being my last meal.

I don’t know what it is about Italian Cuisine, maybe it’s the way a tall dark handsome man comes to your table and explains the dishes with a gorgeous accent while passionately gesturing every word with his hands as though they are his backup singers for his musical gig or if it is the fact you are in one of the most incredible cities in the world without a care or a concern or perhaps its the fact they use nothing but the local, freshest, and best ingredients. All I know is that I still think about this dish and Italy.

So we took the table and the handsome waiter approaches welcoming us to the trattoria and whisping us away with his explanation of  the featured dishes. He used words like bellissima and succulento (secretly I’m thinking he must be talking about me) and instead I quickly realize he is speaking about a calamari tube. Time to snap back to reality.

You might be wondering why I choose the calamari dish to highlight and honestly, this was the dish I sincerely wondered if it was as good as he explained or was it his explanation and fab accent? I mean we all know that calamari, especially the tubes, can get really rubbery if  not cooked correctly and then the dish has the consistency of a tire.

Whatever it was, him, the words, or Rome (probably all 3), I ordered the calamari. It was everything he said and then some. Stuffed with risotto and then grilled to perfection topped with local, freshly pressed olive oil with enough at the bottom of the dish to mop up with some home made bread from the antique wooden oven next door. Oh yes, and that fabulous glass of house made wine….I forgot to mention how he explained that, I was ready to spend the night in the cellar.

So here’s my version of  one of “the unknown last supper” dishes. I changed up the risotto to include chorizo as I love it with seafood as it adds a incredible dimension to the flavor profile. I hope you enjoy it as much as I and even though I can’t superimpose the Italian waiter or Rome for that matter, I’ll dig up a photo for you to transport yourself…….

I never should have doubted the kings of cuisine…….

The red tablecloth and candelabra…

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Buon Appetito!

Grilled Calamari Stuffed with Chorizo-Saffron Risotto
 
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The key is to be careful not to overcook the squid as it can easily become to "tough and rubbery". Serve with a simple arugula salad, crusted bread and a glass of pinot grigio or rose and transport yourself…..
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 calamari tubes
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 4 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
  • pinch of saffron (put in stock)
  • ½ cup cured chorizo, diced*(hot or mild or combo)
  • ½ cup sweet onion, diced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2 T unsalted butter
  • ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano
  • sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • olive oil
Instructions
  1. Rinse the calamari "tubes" and pat dry
  2. On stovetop, heat chicken broth until warm and add saffron
  3. In a medium stockpot, heat oil and add chorizo.
  4. Saute until juices release a bit and then add onion, sauté until transparent and add garlic.
  5. Stir and add rice.
  6. Add wine and allow to absorb into rice
  7. Begin to add stock, ½ a cup at a time until it absorbs into rice (don't fully allow the rice to get "dry" before adding more stock. Stir constantly.
  8. Taste rice and it should be "al dente". Consistency will be creamy but not "gooey". This is KEY to a good risotto
  9. Add parmigiano-reggiano and butter.
  10. Open Calamari tubes and fill about ¾ full with risotto mixture. Fold over and seal with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining calamari.
  11. Brush with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  12. Heat grill to medium and place calamari directly onto grill. Cook for a total of about 5 minutes turning over to get even grill marks on each side.
  13. Serve immediately.