Arancini Balls are always a crowd pleaser, especially when using a family recipe that incorporates lots of cheese and butter. This recipe jazzes them up a little by adding Tasmanian traditionally smoked ocean trout that takes their flavour to a whole new level. The crispy coating of panko breadcrumbs makes these a pure crunchy and golden delight to eat.
Serves: 4 – 6 | Time: 60mins
Ingredients
Arancini Filling
300g Woodbridge Smokehouse Cold Smoked Ocean Trout roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion diced
4 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup white arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock
2 heaped tablespoon butter
30g grated parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste
30g cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
Crumbing
2 eggs whisked
1 garlic clove
½ cup white all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1L vegetable oil
Method
Arancini Filling
In a pot on a medium heat, bring your chicken stock to a simmer and cover with a lid. The stock needs to be piping hot for when we add it to the risotto.
In a large pot on a low heat, bring your olive oil to heat and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Stir your onion and garlic quite often to avoid them from burning.
In the same pot on a medium heat, cook the rice for 2 minutes or until the rice turns opaque, stirring occasionally. Add in your wine and keep stirring with the rice until all the wine is absorbed by the rice.
One ladle or cup at a time, add the chicken stock to the pot and stir through quite occasionally until all the stock is absorbed. Repeat this step 5 more times or until you have used up all the stock. Your rice will start to become plump and fat as it continues to cook and absorb the stock. It should take roughly 25 minutes to cook.
Once all the stock is absorbed, turn the heat down to low and stir through the butter and cheese with the rice until the cheese and butter has melted through.
Take the arancini filling off the heat and leave to cool in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of one hour. You need the filling to be cold for when rolling the arancini balls.
Once the filling has cooled, stir through the ocean trout and set to the side.
Crumbing
Begin by making your egg wash. In a shallow wide bowl, whisk your eggs, garlic and a splash of water together and set to the side. By preparing this early the garlic will have time to release its flavour into the eggs.
In a shallow wide bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and then set up your dredging station. Begin with your flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the panko breadcrumbs and then finished with a large clean plate or tray to place the arancini balls in.
Take roughly a tablespoon of your arancini filling and flatten it into the palm of your hand. Take one small piece of cheddar cheese and place into the middle. Take roughly a teaspoon amount of arancini filling and cover the cheddar with it then roll the filling into a ball with your hands.
Take the arancini ball and coat well with the flour then with the egg wash. Lastly, place the arancini ball into the breadcrumb mixture, rolling around to ensure the it is well coated. Place the arancini ball onto a clean plate and then repeat this step with the remainder of the arancini filling.
In a deep dish pan on a high heat, bring your vegetable oil to the heat. You want the vegetable oil to be a few centimetres deep in the pan so when you are frying the arancini balls they are covered halfway. Turn the heat down to medium and place the arancini balls into the vegetable oil and fry for 2 – 3 minutes each side or until they are golden and crispy. Place the arancini balls onto a plate pre-lined with absorbent paper. Repeat this step until all the arancini balls have been cooked. Serve immediately and enjoy!
