Risotto “spin-off” serving choices and my favourite stuffing!

If you leave your arancini plain as the original recipe try serving with an Alfredo sauce sprinkled with chopped flat leat parsley a definite lunch or supper dish – and two more big ticks – delicious comfort food and Autumnal. If you'd like to check out the Alfredo recipe have a look at the Sauce label on the blog Sunday 10^th February 2019 – The Birthday Bowl also gives a photo guide too.

Alternatively you can stuff your arancini with pancetta, basil and mozzarella, sun dried tomato or mushroom to name but a few. However, my favourite stuffing and another serving idea uses taleggio cheese – another Italian cheese which melts very well and so perfect for these beauties. It's not stringy like mozzarella, it melts and oozes – yum!

Here's the stuffing method which will give you 9 arancini – this stuffed alternative is perfect for a starter, albeit generous, served drizzled with Balsamic glaze and a side salad or with redcurrant jelly and a raw slaw – there's an impressive lunch box!

In addition to the basic risotto you'll need 200g taleggio cheese, rind removed

and divided into 9 cubes, 3 foil trays for the

50g plain flour, 3 large eggs – beaten and 150g breadcrumbs

as in the Risotto “spin-off” dishes

Use exactly the same method as given previously - when

you've rolled the rice into a ball use your index finger

to create a hole - place a piece of taleggio inside

and close up the ball then complete by jiggling in

the flour, egg and finally breadcrumbs

Shallow fry in oil.

The stuffed arancini freezes well – defrost thoroughly and warm through in a pre-heated oven 160 fan/180c/Gas 4 for 15 minutes.

I'm a fan of fusion and this may sound even more strange but I love arancini with a curry sauce, stuffed or not – surely I can't be the only person out there with strange taste?

Delizioso!

P.s. If you'd like some help making the arancini there's a complete photo guide on the blog – check out the Italian label – My Antidote – Take three trays – Fancy Italian/Malaysian fusion? 31^St/12/16.

Have a go – you won't be sorry!

Coming up - more Autumn comfort stuff

Risotto “spin-off” dishes

Some of us make a risotto deliberately to turn into another dish – for arancini, aka rice balls – sounds a little odd I grant you but traditionally arancini was created to use up leftover risotto. It turns out that the arancini is equally as good as the risotto.

Here goes – make a risotto with the recipe given, which will give you 18 arancini using the measurements and method given.

You'll need a tray bake, measuring 31cms(12”)x18cms(7¼”) as a guide.

Tip your cooked risotto into a tray bake, making sure it's flat and even, then cool, cover and fridge. You can leave for a couple of hours or overnight – whatever suits you best.

With the tray bake lengthways in front of you cut the risotto in half. Each half tray (6” or 15.5cms) gives you 9 arancini weighing 80/90gm, again as a guide. Using one half divide into 9 squares – 2½” (6.5cms) 5” (13cms) and 7½” (19cms) and set aside. I used a good old fashioned school ruler – works a treat.

Prepping this way will give you pretty much similar sized arancini but don't stress!

Take three trays (I used foil) – measuring 23x23cms :

50g plain flour – tray 1

3 large eggs, beaten – tray 2

150g Panko crumbs – blitzed in a food processor – tray 3

You can use ordinary breadcrumbs if you can't get Panko

You'll need vegetable oil for shallow frying

Using damp hands, mould each square into a ball – make 3 at a time – place in the flour tray and jiggle, let the tray do the work. Repeat in the beaten egg and finally in the crumb. Jiggle is my own term, descriptive I think - the actual technical term is pané – meaning “breaded”. If you want to be really cheffy you can repeat the egg and crumb - “double pané” for extra crunch.

Place the arancini in the fridge for 20 minutes – use a large frying pan and cover the base in oil, heat gently – test to see it has reached temperature by dropping, gently, a small cube of bread into the oil – it should sizzle. Fry four or five at a time so you can easily turn the arancini and ensure you get an even golden brown colour – about 3-4 minutes. Set aside on a baking tray and keep warm in a pre-heated oven – 150fan/170c/Gas 3.

You don't have to make all 18 arancini – you can make 9 and freeze the remaining half of the risotto, leave in the tray, fold over and wrap tightly in foil.

Spin-off arancini serving choices and stuffings up next!

Crostini spreads – to buy ready-made or not to …

 ...that is the question!

Do whatever suits you – there are some great quality tapenade and pesto products out there. If you're going to use ready-made buy as good a quality as you can afford.

Here are recipes for both :

Tapenade

100g black olives, pitted

4/5 cloves of garlic (or equivalent tsps of paste)

1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

black pepper

lemon juice – try a dessert spoon – you can always add more

4 finely chopped anchovies, drained

75g chopped capers

Blitz the olives, then add the garlic, capers and anchovies and blitz again, briefly – you want a rustic paste, not mush. Tip into a bowl and add the oil, lemon juice and black pepper to taste – remember to taste as you go you can't take it back!

Pesto is vibrantly green! It's made from crushed basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan and olive oil.

The following recipe serves 4, is easy and takes 10 minutes to make.

1 small garlic clove or equivalent roasted

pinch of sea salt

25g pine nuts, lightly toasted

50g fresh basil leaves

juice of half a lemon

125ml extra virgin olive oil

Use a small food processor. Put the garlic and salt in the bowl and pulse, then add the pine nuts and repeat until roughly chopped – don't overwork. Add the basil and pulse gently until well mixed but still retains texture. Turn into a serving bowl and add the Parmesan and lemon juice. Pour in the olive oil and mix to a paste. Season to taste.

You could make the pesto ahead and transfer to a jar with a tight lid (sterilised of course) – drizzle a layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

If I had to choose one to make from scratch it would be tapenade every time – it really is scrumptious.

Tomato paste is a bit strong for my taste - if it's not cooked it has a bitter taste but preparing some of each will cater for everyone. A tip – a thin scrape of paste is all that's required!

One might say the Crostini is fiddly, but, almost all of it can be done in advance and you can take short cuts for example, you can buy sliced pitted olives, ready to blitz after draining.

Coming up – the risotto “spin-off” dishes

Crostini munching

As I've mentioned Crostini is small slices of bread, Bruschetta gives larger, more rustic slices. In other words, you can make small or large as suits the appetites of your guests. The smaller version is used as a canapé and sliced ciabatta is perfect - part baked baguettes work well too – larger sourdough loaves, sliced and toasted would satisfy larger appetites.

It's back to my lists again, but you'll see that it can be as easy or as complicated as you'd like to make it.

Ciabatta, baguettes or sourdough, sliced.

You can buy part baked baguettes, sliced – a gluten free option

is also available and works very well and you won't taste any

difference

Garlic (fresh or paste)

Olive oil

Tapenade*

Pesto*

Tomato puree*

Toppings

Finely chopped chilli – red and/or green

Goat's cheese – cubed or sliced

Any Italian cheese – e.g. Dolcelatte or Gorgonzola, cubed

Parmesan, Pecorino, Grand Padano (grated), Mozzarella and Taleggio

Olives, pitted and chopped

Mediterranean vegetables, roasted and diced

Parma ham, cut into small triangles, twisted into a cone shape

Salami, as for Parma ham

Anchovies, chopped finely

If you are using garlic paste add olive oil and mix to a paste. Spread sparingly onto the bread, then add any option marked * above. Complete with toppings of your choice – two – three – don't overload.

Whatever you choice of toppings chop, roast or dice ahead, place in small boxes, cover and fridge ready to dress your bread. My tip would be to top your crostini straight onto a baking sheet, lined with baking parchment, cover with cling film and set aside, keeping cool – fridge if you have room.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. Cook for 3-4 minutes (set your timer!) until golden and crispy.

Transfer to a serving plate and pass to the hungry hoards, pausing only for the accolades!

Spreads up next!

Risotto sides …

Here's the recipe for the Mushrooms in Balsamic :

Mushrooms in Balsamic

4 tbsp rapeseed oil or similar

500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

pinch of salt

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp brown sugar

60g shaved parmesan

Heat the oil, add the mushrooms and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook on high for 5 minutes until browned, until any excess liquid has been absorbed. Mix the vinegar with the sugar and pour over the mushrooms.

Stir until syrupy – 1-2 minutes, serve on toasted broad. Add a shaving of Parmesan to serve.

Would serve 6 as a bruschetta topping or 12 crostini.

I think I should point out the difference between bruschetta and crostini. Bruschetta, from the Italian word “bruscare” means to roast over coals. It is made by toasting whole, wide slices of rustic Italian or sourdough bread. Crostini are sliced and toasted from smaller loaves, for example ciabatta or, if all else fails - a baguette.

In reality there's not a huge difference – the principle is the same, it's just a matter of whether you want large or small to munch on!

Down to business now with the Crostini topping ideas and a tip or two.

Risotto rules and hints and tips too

It's imperative that your stock is kept hot and added a ladle at a time. If you follow these basic principles you'll be fine.

If you weigh all your ingredients, chop your onions, decant the wine into a plastic jug, grate your cheese (box and fridge of course) it's half the battle and you won't get flustered, panic and then make a mistake! Before you're ready to begin cooking place all your ingredients on a tray and check against the recipe. It may seem like a lot of prep, really it isn't and it's worth it. There's nothing worse than trying to wing it by prepping as you go, it reflects in the finished dish and I meant what I said, it really is therapeutic and you'll enjoy watching each stage and it morph into deliciousness. Risotto is good for the soul.

I'd keep the risotto basic especially if you have family and/or guests who all have different likes and dislikes. If you'd prefer to top the risotto, try balsamic mushrooms – an easy recipe, with bags of flavour and it looks really cheffy.

If you'd like some alternative suggestions :

seared asparagus tips

seared scallops and king prawns

cooked, diced chicken

cooked chorizo, finely diced

don't forget a bowl of finely grated Parmesan to sprinkle to taste!

Risotto is a rustic dish and I think perfectly acceptable to serve from the hob to the table in its pan, having said that, I mentioned earlier that in my kitchen everyone is already sat around the hob so it doesn't get a chance to move from the hob to the table!

If you are serving at the table then serve your crostini as an appetiser followed by your risotto and sides at the table.

Next – a side recipe

Autumn comfort food ideas

This time the ideas are for the weekend when you've more time.

Weekend cooking is different – it's time to kick back, relax and enjoy yourself. If you love your cooking it's reflected on the plate or in this case, in the bowl. I long since gave up seating visitors in a different room when all they want to do is hang around the island where the hob is - chatting, with the obligatory glass of something, munching – appropriately with this recipe - on crostini and watching the cook.

If this picture is appealing to you you'll find that risotto is the perfect dish for the occasion. If you fancy the crostini munching there's a plan coming up and again it's possible to prep ahead so that large plates can be passed around – they take only minutes in the oven - to satisfy those rumbling tummies whilst watching the risotto morph. There'll be various topping ideas to suit your gang – these days too there are so many choices of breads for the crostini - from small baguettes to larger sourdough loaves. Hold that thought – I'll be back with it soon.

All in all it's what I call convivial weekend comfort food.

What follows cannot be rushed, I think of it as a form of therapy. Risotto scares a lot of cooks, there's no need to worry, provided you follow a few basic rules.

There are “spin off” dishes that can be made from the risotto, which I'll come to later.

Here's the basic risotto recipe :

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

40g unsalted butter

1 tbsp groundnut oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves (or 3 tsps paste)

350g risotto rice

150ml dry white wine

2 tbsps flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

100g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and black pepper

Bring the stock to a boil and simmer gently. Heat the butter and the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt. Stir in the rice and fry for 2 minutes until the edges become opaque. Add the wine. Start adding the stock, a ladle at a time – the liquid should be absorbed before you add the next. Add the parsley, black pepper and the Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately in warmed bowls.

Risotto rules up next and hints and tips too!