Fried Mushroom and Thyme Risotto
Instructions
Creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and all-around irresistible, these fried risotto balls are brought to us by Tere from With Love, Tere and they are sure to be a fast favorite.
Step 1
In a medium saucepan, bring ¼ teaspoon salt and broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add Carolina® Arborio Medium Grain Rice and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender and stir every 5 minutes.
Step 2
While rice cooks, sauteé the onions in 1 tablespoon of butter on medium-high heat until they are translucent. Add mushrooms, thyme, and garlic and continue cooking for two more minutes.
Step 3
Combine the sauteé mix with the cooked rice and add Parmesan, peas, and 1 tbsp of butter. Mix well and let cool completely.
Step 4
Once cooled, beat the egg and stir it into the rice mixture. Shape the mixture into ten 1 ½-inch balls and coat each one with breadcrumbs.
Step 5
Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if time allows. If refrigerating overnight, make sure to roll in more breadcrumbs before frying.
Step 6
In a large saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat until a deep-dry thermometer reads 350 F. Fry the rice balls, in batches, and turn them until they are golden brown on all sides, for about 4 minutes for each batch. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil, place on paper towels to remove excess oil, and season with salt.
Step 7
Top with fresh basil, shaved parmesan, and serve with your favorite marinara sauce.
Tasty Risotto
Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish that is cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. Many types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and parmesan cheese, although ingredients vary depending on what type of risotto is being made. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy and a favorite for many. It isn’t always the easiest dish to cook, but it is certainly worth the effort.
Fry it Up
In this tasty recipe, we take risotto to another level by frying it. That’s right, frying it. You may be wondering how to fry risotto and we’re here to tell you. The frying technique is easier than you may think and you can also put it into practice with these Israeli Fusion Rice Balls! Simply prepare your risotto and let it cool completely. Once cooled, add a beaten egg and mix well. Make balls out of the mixture and coat them in breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and they are ready to fry. It’s that easy and even more delicious.
Recipe Tips
Try this frying process with your favorite risotto recipe or with some of our favorites like this Sausage and Cauliflower Risotto or this Sweet Corn Risotto.
If desired, use traditional white rice. Follow the same recipes instructions and first cook rice on the stove before adding with the other ingredients.
