Yield: 8 portions (three balls each person)
Ingredients:
1 pound Carnaroli rice
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 ea medium white onion, minced
8 oz dry white wine
1 qt vegetable stock or water
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
to taste kosher salt and white pepper
12 oz Toma Primavera cheese, cut into 1/3” cubes (24 each)
12 oz golden beats, roasted, peeled, and cut into 1/4” dice (12 oz. is the finished weight)
2 sprigs fresh tarragon (chopped)
2 oz black truffles, sliced and chopped (fresh or preserved in juice)
as needed all-purpose flour
6 whole eggs
4 cups course bread crumbs
2 bunches broccoli rabe
as needed roasted garlic and roasted garlic oil
to taste Calabrian chile flakes
2 qts vegetable oil (for frying)
Preparation:
Broccoli rabe: Blanch the broccoli rabe in plenty of boiling, salted water and shock it with cold water to halt cooking.
If desired, you can grill the broccoli rabe to give it a great smoky flavor.
Toss with the roasted garlic and oil and the Calabrian chile flakes.
This can be made days in advance.
Arborio rice: In a heavy-bottom casserole, sweat the onion in the olive oil, until it the onion turns clear. Add the rice and coat with the oil.
Add the wine and cook until the wine is completely reduced. Keeping the heat at medium-high, add the hot stock or boiling water a little at a time while stirring.
You will need to stir more frequently at the end as the rice will release its starch. Cook to al dente.
When done, add the roasted beets, tarragon and optional truffles.
Add the parmesan cheese.
Turn into a cookie tray to let it cool.
Once cool mark the tray into a four-by-six pattern creating 24 equal portions.
Form a ball, and force a piece of cheese into the center. Re-form into a ball.
Dredge each ball in the flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the bread crumbs. (They can now be frozen or refrigerated.)
In a heavy pot, heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees (use a cooking thermometer).
Carefully add the rice balls, a few at a time, and fry until they are golden brown.
If the balls are frozen you may need to finish in a 350 degree oven so the breading doesn’t burn.
Serve over the marinated broccoli rabe.