Arancini

One day last week, I was exchanging emails with a colleague and the conversation turned to Christmas dinner.  I explained I was making meatballs and gravy; she explained she was making Arancini.

Well. Yum.

I just might have to make this Arancini.

But first I had to look it up.

Arancini (also spelled Arancine) are stuffed risotto balls that are coated with breadcrumbs and fried to a golden hue.  The name comes from the Italian word for little oranges — arancina —  because after these beauties are coated and fried, they look like sweet, little oranges.    Creamy and delicious risotto, served either as a side or main dish, can hold its own on any dinner plate. Introduce frying, well now, that takes delectable and tempting to a whole new level. 

Rice balls date back to when the Arabs inhabited Sicily. As you know, growing rice involves water, lots of water, and the Arabs built sophisticated irrigation systems to make growing rice possible.  Back then, rice balls were made using saffron and that wonderful spice adds a radiant glow to any dish.  You can read about saffron in my Paella post. The Italians, of course, perfected the little orbs and introduced filings….meat, mushrooms, cheese, nuts, eggplant…I suppose the possibilities are endless.

And don’t limit your rice-ball frying experience to merely savory options.  Try a sweet option made with cream and cinnamon and stuffed with raisins and other fruit.   But, on Christmas, Brother and I stuck to a more traditional recipe and made ours with peas, parmesan and mozzarella (that oozed out on queue during eating).  We rolled, coated and fried our way straight to a lovely Christmas memory.  After tasting one that fell apart, Brother wanted to know what everyone else was eating for dinner….I reminded him there were meatballs and gravy and he quickly changed his tune.  

Making Arancini is a perfect way to use leftover risotto…not that there’s any leftover risotto in my house.  Ever.  It's so worth the time and effort it takes to make….simply heavenly.  There were three leftover that Younger Daughter and I happily consumed for lunch on Wren Day.  Himself told me about Wren Day.

Arancini

Adapted from:  epicurious.com

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Olive oil, about 4 swirls

1 small onion or large shallot, peeled and finely diced

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 cup risotto rice

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, warmed

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/3 frozen peas

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mozzarella cheese cut into cubes (for as many balls are you are making)

Flavorless oil for frying, like canola

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup panko breadcrumbs or regular breadcrumbs

Directions

Heat a heavy-based, high-sided frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until soft but not colored.  Add the rice and stir vigorously around the pan for a couple of minutes until the grains start to turn slightly translucent. Deglaze the pan by pouring in a bit of wine and scraping up the bits at the bottom. Add a cup of the hot stock mixture to the rice and stir over medium heat until absorbed, then add another cup. Repeat until all the stock is used, then add the cup of white wine and the peas.   Cook until the rice is tender but still al dente, stirring regularly to create a creamy risotto, about 20 minutes.

Let the risotto to cool; I put my prepared risotto in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare your dipping stations by filling three separate shallow bowls with the beaten eggs, the flour (seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper), and the breadcrumbs.   

Once the risotto is cool enough to handle and has stiffened a bit, roll it into balls the size of golf balls. 

Push a piece of mozzarella into the middle of each ball, making sure that the cheese is completely enclosed. Leave the balls to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

To coat the risotto balls, dip a ball into the flour, shake off any excess, then dip into the egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finish by coating completely in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining balls.  

Fill a large saucepan one-third full of flavorless oil; I used canola.  You know that the oil is hot enough when you insert the handle end of a wooden spoon into the oil and bubbles appear around the wood (this is a nifty little trick Sister taught me).  

Deep-fry the balls in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden brown all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately while the cheese is still melty.

This recipe doubles nicely.

Salmon Poached in Parchment Paper

So I am in the middle of writing Part II of our European Tour post.  It’s taking me a little while because I want to include just the right photos and summary so my dear readers can enjoy a virtual trip.  

In the meantime, back to a Dinner Club post.

First, last Sunday was my Annual Ornament Exchange Party.  As usual, it was a blast…lots of food, spirits and rousing competition.  As in past years, there were a few fiercely sought favorites…an accordion, a red fox, a winged-tipped convertible that plays “Low Rider”, a hunk of ceramic cheese and an ambulance.  

My meatballs and gravy, were a big hit….I think there might be a revolt if I ever eliminated them from the menu!   And oh, I made these adorable little Red Velvet Cup Cakes decorated with candy strip bows…..Martha (or her elves) taught me the bow trick and you know I’m all about the bows.

And polka dots.

Our Wednesday dinners have also resumed after a brief hiatus to accommodate our world travelers.  Last week we had dinner at M.’s house.  In addition to the fabulous crab cakes she served, we were treated to a showing of her newly bedazzled home…it is certainly quite lovely.  Built-in cabinets, a stunning fireplace surround, soft teal/blue fabrics, painted furniture and lovely accent pieces all beautifully complement each other and her charming1920’s home.  I felt like I was back in the designer showcase house!   I was so smitten that I forgot to ask about the crab cake recipe!  As you can imagine, they were delicious.

This past week, it was A.’s turn to host and she made salmon poached in parchment paper (you see it, up there, to the left).  Lately, I am a fan of salmon and I especially like it pan-seared or grilled and tossed on a salad.  But then I tasted this little number and, oh my goodness, I'm swooning.  The flavors serendipitously meet in an adorable (and utilitarian) little parchment pouch and frolic together producing mouth-watering magic. 

Like a little culinary meet-cute. 

I’m half Italian.  I like to romanticize food…it makes the eating experience much more fun.  “Meet-Cute” is referenced in one of my favorite movies EVER….The Holiday.  I could watch that movie a gazillion times and never be bored.  Younger daughter refuses to watch it with me more than once each Christmas.

She's such a kill-joy.

This salmon recipe is as easy as could be and also a little fancy.   It will surely put a smile on anyone's face.  I know we were smiling….from ear-to-ear!

Salmon Poached in Parchment Paper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut a piece of parchment paper large enough to envelop a piece of salmon (about the size of a small pear).  Brush a little olive oil on the paper and place the fish on top of the parchment paper.  Add salt, pepper, chopped leeks, a few lemon slices, a capful of white vermouth and a sprig of dill.  Fold the parchment to form a tight seal.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.  Serve the wonderfully poached beauties in the pouches.  

So seriously good.  

After dinner, we had  tea and dessert - ginger cake with pistachios - and exchanged Christmas gifts…we had a lot of fun taking turns opening our treasures.  I cherish these moments.

A Taste of Europe, Part I

In the Spring of 2014 I received a catalog from Starr Tours.  I flipped through the excursions -- as I normally do -- and this particular description caught my eye:

Hmmmm, thought she.

After some thought (about 5 minutes) I decided I was going.  Initially, none of my usual travel suspects wanted to go along and, in an attempt to be brave, I booked the trip anyway — solo — confident that I would meet other nomads along the way…I’m pretty friendly! Eventually, my party of one grew to a party of five — Sister, Sister-in-Law, two friends and me — and we, along with our new compatriots from all over the world, bus-toured some of the most beautiful sites in Europe.

First up, was jolly old London, England. For me, the first day was a wash and we won’t discuss that any further, but the second day started off at the Tower of London and the Tower of London Bridge.  London is a Roman name and the city was founded by the mighty Empire in 1070.  The Tower of London -- a series of buildings that sit on the River Thames -- has been used as a prison, a residence and now as a popular tourist attraction.  The structure is 1000 years old and was built by William the Conquer.

We were in London right before the WWI Remembrance Day Celebrations and we were fortunate enough to see the memorial of poppies erected in honor of the 888,246 English soldiers who lost their lives during WWI.  Each poppy that dots the field in front of the Tower is a handmade ceramic masterpiece and, collectively, the sea of red fashions a moving and beautiful tribute.  

The Tower of London was used during the First World War to recruit and train English Troops.  Poppies, by the way, became the symbol of war casualties because the flower sprung up from the simple graves of fallen soldiers.

Next it was off to see the Crown Jewels.  

Photography is not allowed in the museum but the colorful array of jewels is a magnificent and stunning site that beautifully represents the pomp and circumstance naturally associated with the Royal Families.  There are crowns, orbs and sceptres since 1660; all jewels prior to that time were destroyed following the abolition of the monarchy in 1649.  Click here to see a slideshow of the Crown Jewels.

It was back on the bus and along the way we saw the Dragons that protect the old city of London and the London Eye.

Of course, I took the obligatory photo in a classic London phone booth!

Westminster Abbey is where most Royals since 1919 have gotten married.   Charles and Diana got married in Saint Paul’s Cathedral because their guest list was too extensive for the Abbey to accommodate. The Brits believe that not marrying in Westminster Abbey is a royal mistake and bad luck indeed….

Big Ben...

Buckingham Palace and the Changing of the Guards…

Trafalgar Square and The National Gallery where we swooned over Van Gogh’s Sunflowers…

And another memorial to the fallen soldiers of WWI.  

We had traditional English fare of Fish and Chips and beer at an old English pub on The Strand called the Coal Hole.  

As you can see, it was a lovely day in London.  As the sun was setting, we took the Tube back to Hammersmith to retire for the evening.

The next morning, we boarded a bus to Dover.  The White Cliffs of Dover are breathtaking and these photos do not do these majestic Cliffs justice with its striking facade of chalk highlighted by streaks of black flint.  In the past, the Cliffs were critical in that they represented a natural barrier to England, protecting the British from invasions.  The Port of Dover was the primary route into Britain prior to air travel. 

The boat on which we crossed the Channel in was like a floating shopping mall, complete with a Starbucks.  I had to remind myself, several times, that I was crossing the English Channel…it was all extremely dreamlike!  We crossed the Channel, landed in Calais, France and then boarded a bus for the 250 mile drive through Belguim to Amsterdam, Netherlands.  

When we arrived in Calais, we were greeted by our Tour Guide for the rest of the trip, Boudi, a delightful and knowledgable multi-lingual chap, born in the Netherlands and now living in Berlin, and our vigilant driver from France, Christian.

The day we crossed the Channel, we were in four different countries on one day! What excited me most about this trip was the chance to see the European countryside as we traveled by bus to our various destinations and, boy-oh-boy, we were not disappointed.  

The glorious European countryside is dotted with centuries-old structures as sheep, cows, and horses provide a watchful eye.   And, as a bonus, the rest stop food in each country was absolutely amazing…..fresh and tasty and, you could get a beer, so I had to get a Grolsch.  

We arrived in Amsterdam that evening and settled into our hotel, anxiously anticipating our cruise along the Canals the next day….I could not wait.

In the morning, we hopped on a tour boat to experience Amsterdam from the water level.  It was a wonderful perspective to enjoy the gables, bridges, bicycles and houseboats so popular in this water-locked town.  We learned about the old spice trade, sailed past Anne Frank’s house and got to see the houseboats up close and personal. 

Amsterdam used to be connected to the open sea and was an important port town.  Vessels from all over the world sailed into Amsterdam and trips to the East Indies were quite momentous because the sailors returned with spices.   Back then, spices — most significantly, pepper — were more precious and expensive than gold.   The house below is called “The Pepper House” and a local financier of spice expeditions built the house, complete with shutters, so that thieves could not peer in and inspect the newly transported goods!

Later, while strolling about, the not-too-faint scent of legal cannabis filled the air, no doubt procured from one of the many “coffee shops” that dot the seriously charming, tree-lined streets.  Those trees, by the way, are mostly elm trees, planted because their thirsty, long, and strong roots stabilize the buildings along the Canals.

Bicycles are the most common form of transportation in Amsterdam and there are more bicycles in the city than in Bejing.  Bicycle lanes abound and the cyclists have the right-of-way which gives new meaning to looking both ways!  Even the street lights have a bicycle light.

In the evening we took a tour of the Red Light District.  The legend is that sailor’s wives would wait, looking out of their windows, for their husbands to return from their voyages.  Since many vessels were lost at sea, some sailors never returned and the new widows had to find a way to support their families, hence the proliferation of prostitution. For privacy reasons, no photos are allowed in The District, and I was surprised by how friendly the workers were.  The ladies “advertise” behind a glass window and every now-and-then, one dressed in her Victoria's Secret finest would wink or waive to our curious group.   Since prostitution is legal in Amsterdam, the ladies register their business, rent “office” space, pay taxes and keep healthy (and beautiful!). Fortunately, no one in our group was unaccounted for that evening! 

The next morning we visited a windmill village, saw a demonstration of how wooden shoes are made and melted our way into a fantastic cheese shop.  Windmills served an important role in the Netherlands.  There are no mountains in the country and it also sits below sea level so the windmills were used to pump water out of the often-flooded city .  

We continued on our journey and stopped in the quaint port city of Volendam.  We feasted on local seafood (so incredibly good), strolled along the “boardwalk”, meandered into the lovely little shops and, all the while simply appreciated the wonders of our holiday.  I could not believe we were in Europe!  

We left Volendam and drove along the seriously charming Dutch countryside towards Germany.  I love the juxtaposition of the nature and the industrial feel of the modern windmills in the photo below.

 

I’ll write about Germany, Switzerland and Paris in Part II of this post.  

I took many notes!