Arancini (3)

Arancini, again. This time, with me learning! In a fry-pan:

dash olive oil

1 c. Arborio (long grain) rice

chicken bouillon

chopped onion

chopped spinach

chopped red & hot peppers

fresh basil

salt & pepper

And add 2 c. water intermittently as the rice dries out.

Stir, sip, stir, and fret, until the rice is done!

To prepare, make golf-ball sized balls, and stick a dice-sized cube of any pungent, delicious cheese into the middle. We used Parrano -- a beautiful parmesan-gouda mix.

Then roll them in:

1. flour

2. beaten egg

3. bread crumbs (we used Panko)

And then you get your boyfriend ("what?!") -

to fry them into a deliciously filling package.

Arancini!

Ever since we went to Giorgio's Martini Bar last, Bean has been infatuated with the memory of their arancini appetizer. I had never tried anything like this; they are cheesy rice balls coated in bread crumbs and fried, a dish originating in Sicily (and thus being very appropriate for a Greek restaurant such as Bean is wont to adore).

Tonight, we decided to try making them ourselves.

First, saute:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

When it's browned, add:

1 cup rice

1 1/2 cups water

We used sushi rice in the hopes that it would all stick together in the end. Better safe than sorry, for there is, you see, a hard-to-overcome fear of deep-frying that runs throughout the household. I am inclined to agree. But! We decided to try it this once.

After some scrounging, we added fresh parsley and saffron; a festive affair! And the smells were delicious.

When all of the water is absorbed, mix in:

1 cup shredded Parmesan

1 beaten egg

Form into balls, and into each stuff a bit of delicious Italian cheese that you had previously bought and subsequently forgot about. Then roll each ball in (respectively):

A pile of flour

A pile of egg and milk

A pile of bread crumbs

Here they are about to jump in a pot of boiling oil:

Arancini

Arancini balls with Fontina cheese (Trader Joe's), swisschard with Parmesan cheese, and a glass of blueberry wine from my dearest Nana makes for a tasty bit.