In fact when I log into www.weatherzone.com.au it’s currently 4.3C, but flick down the screen for the ‘feels like’ line and it reads -1.1C!
Its cold.... I’m sitting at my desk with the gloves that Geraldine made me for my birthday (thank you G), the cardigan she knitted me last year and the scarf she knitted me! I am wearing other clothes or I’d be sitting here with a really cold bum but it’s these hand knits I am so grateful for…thank you again G.
The fire is burning, hot cup of tea beside me but it’s really food you want on days like today.
I’m dreaming of Arancini that I made last weekend, perfect cooking for cold days when you want to stay in side beside the stove stirring.
This recipe is one of Joseph Vitale of Bottega Restaurant in Melbourne and is easy and really warming.
50ml olive oil
¼ onion, finely chopped
200 gm Arborio rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp finely chopped thyme
50 gm parmesan grated
30 gm butter
40 gm provolone piccante
Plain flour for coating
250 gm white breadcrumbs for coating
Sunflower oil for deep-frying
Heat oil in a saucepan over a low heat add onion, stir occasionally until tender, add rice, stir to coat, then add stock, little by little until rice is slightly over cooked and stock is absorbed. Add thyme, parmesan and butter and stir until creamy, remove from the heat. Meanwhile finely grate 15g provolone, add to the rice mixture, spread over a tray and cool to room temperature then refrigerate to chill 1 ½ hours.
Cut remaining provolone into 5mm cubes and set aside. Shape walnut sized balls of rice mixture with your hands, then push a provolone cube into the centre of each, pressing rice around to enclose completely. Roll rice in flour, beaten egg and finely breadcrumbs. Refrigerate on a tray for 30 minutes.
Preheat oil in a deep saucepan to 200C. Deep-fry arancini in batches, turning occasionally until golden.
We served these with a basil, onion and tomato salad on a big dollop of Aioli.
Delicious.
Love
Mary
