butternut squash arancini AKA fried deliciousness

Arancini are fried risotto balls! They are simultaneously creamy and crispy. When I was in Sicily, vendors on the streets were selling arancini that were as big as softballs and filled with a variety of cheeses and meats. I make my arancini smaller while at home in Charleston, SC, about the size of a golf ball. My arancini have a Carolina gold rice risotto base, with thinned-out butternut squash soup as the cooking liquid for the risotto. I use Olinda olive oil in my risotto recipe, but I use vegetable oil for frying. I recommend eating these atop whipped goat cheese for an appetizer that will make you and your guests smile.

butternut squash arancini

Risotto

Yields 4 cups

3-4 cups butternut squash soup, preferably homemade (recipe below)

3-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup chopped)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Carolina gold rice

1/2 cup white wine

Kosher salt, to taste

Cracked black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, from about 5 sprigs

1/2 cup grated parmesan 

Bring the squash soup, stock and bay leaf to a simmer in a medium pot. Lower heat and keep warm.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a 12-inch-wide sauté pan, heat the olive oil and butter.

Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes on medium heat. Stir frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

Add the rice, stir, and cook until it is toasted. Add the white wine and stir often until all the wine is absorbed by the rice. Season with salt and pepper. Add thyme leaves.

Stir in one cup of warm soup and broth mixture and stir. Once it is absorbed by the rice, add another cup, and repeat the process until the risotto is creamy and the rice is al dente.

Feel free to pull up a chair next to the stove and stir while sipping wine, maybe eating some parmesan, too. When finished, remove the bay leaf.  Carefully pour the hot risotto onto a large sheet pan and let cool in the fridge. It will take an hour.

Arancini

This recipe can be doubled to use the full risotto recipe. You can freeze or refrigerate the extra fried arancini, if there are any left! Reheat them in a 375-degree oven on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Vegetable oil, for deep frying 

2 cups cooked and cooled butternut squash risotto (recipe below)

1 egg

1/2 cup grated parmesan 

1 1/4 cups panko

Kosher salt, to taste

Cracked black pepper, to taste

Pour enough vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pot to reach the depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, gently combine the risotto, egg, parmesan, 1/2 cup of the panko. Place the remaining panko in a medium bowl. Create risotto balls that are made from 2 tablespoons of the risotto mixture each. Roll the balls in the panko to coat. Working in batches, add the rice balls to the hot oil and cook until golden brown and heated through, about 3 minutes. Do not crowd the pot as it is important to maintain the oil temperature. Shimmy them around to prevent them from sticking.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the rice balls a wire rack over a tray to drain. Season with salt while hot. Serve warm.

Serve over whipped goat cheese or whipped ricotta, if you like.

Whipped Goat Cheese

4-5 oz goat cheese, softened to room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.