Aunt Claras Rice Balls Recipes

RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large pot, pour in uncooked rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add saffron, if using and pour in wine until wine evaporates. Begin stirring in boiling water until rice is tender. Cook rice uncovered. Add salt and pepper, to taste. When rice is cooked take off heat, mix in cheese and 2 eggs. Place in refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours or overnight. Rice must be chilled.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat add oil, saute onions and the chopped garlic for 2 minutes, add in the beef and pork, and brown. Remove excess grease. Add in basil, tomato paste, tomato sauce , water, and sugar until it all becomes thick in texture. Add peas while still warm, take off heat and set aside. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Take 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture, place in hand and form a small cup.
• Place 1/2 teaspoon of the meat mixture to center of the rice cup, add 1 teaspoon of the rice over the meat mixture and roll in a ball. Roll the rice ball in the remaining eggs and then roll that into the bread crumbs. Heat vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Deep-fry rice balls until browned, place on a paper towel lined plate or dish.
• Before serving garnish with cheese and/or the extra sauce.

POTATO RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Combine the first 5 ingredients with clean hands. Form into balls and roll in bread crumbs pressing in to coat the balls.
• Place on a olive oil spayed cookie sheet pan. Lightly spray the tops of the balls.
• Place in oven and bake 10 minutes. Flip and bake 10 more minutes.
• Remove and enjoy as is or drizzle olive oil over them, or dip in to your favorite tomato sauce.

ARANCINI DI RISO: SICILIAN RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Make the risotto by adding the rice to the heated oil in a large saute pan, and stirring quickly for one or two minutes. Quickly add the white wine while stirring. With the heat on medium high, begin adding the chicken stock a little at a time, and continuously stirring, until all the stock has been used and the rice is cooked, yet still al dente (I have a risotto recipe here on my blog). Taste; adding salt if necessary. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Add an egg to the risotto and mix well, then refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.
• To make the arancini:
• Place some rice in your hand and flatten it into your cupped hand, but don't make it too thin, or the filling will ooze out. Place a piece of mozzarella, and/or a little tomato sauce (and peas, if using) in the center of the cupped rice. Next, close the rice around the filling and shape into a ball.
• If you'd like to make conical shapes, flatten the bottom of the ball, and make the top more pointed.
• Now, roll the shaped arancini in flour, then roll them in the beaten egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Set aside until all of the rice has been used.
• Heat some oil in a deep fryer, pot or wok until it is very hot. Add the arancini, and cook quickly, turning often so they don't brown too much on one side. If serving immediately, fry for a few minutes, so the cheese will melt in the center. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate or tray. (If you'd like to serve them at a later time, remove them quickly after just browning; then, just before serving, place them on a baking sheet and re-heat in the oven at 400ºF for 5 to 10 minutes.)
• Serve plain, or place on tray with a little tomato sauce and garnish with basil. You can also serve them with a little extra sauce on the side, although this isn't done in Italy.

AUNT CLARA'S RICE BALLS

Steps:

• Mix cold sticky rice with 1 egg beaten, parsley, parmesan, mozzarella, salt and pepper.
• Use Ice cream scoop to scoop up a rice ball.
• Hand roll ball; roll in flour; dip in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs.
• Heat 1" cooking oil in pan on stovetop over Medium-high heat and brown until golden.
• Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
• Leftovers do well in microwave.

PERFECT RICE IN A RUSH

Steps:

• Pour the water into an electric kettle. Place the butter into a medium saucepan and set over high heat. Gently jiggle until the bubbling ceases and the butter just begins to brown. Flip on the electric kettle. Add the rice and salt to the saucepan and stir constantly until the kettle clicks off or the rice begins to brown, whichever comes first. Carefully add the water to the pan, stir and cover with a lid. Decrease the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, let stand for 5 minutes, and uncover. Fluff with a fork and serve.

AUNT ROSE'S CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, blue cheese, butter, olives, green onions, garlic salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes, until firm.
• Form the mixture into 2 balls, and roll in the walnuts to coat.

PARMESAN RICE BALLS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix rice, spinach, cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper and 2 eggs.
• Shape mixture into 1 inch balls.
• In a pie plate, using a fork, beat 1 tbls water with remaining egg.
• Dip rice balls in egg, then into bread crumbs to coat evenly.
• In a 5 quart Dutch oven, heat 3/4 inch of oil over medium heat.
• Fry rice balls a few at a time for 1 1/2 minutes or until golden brown, drain on paper towels and serve warm.

ONIGIRI (RICE BALLS)

Steps:

• Sprinkle salmon with salt and let sit for 30 minute.
• Grill or fry the salmon until the edges are a little bit burned.
• When cool, flake salmon into small pieces and set aside.
• Cut nori into 8 equally sized, rectangular strips.
• Put warm rice in a bowl and combine with salmon and sesame seeds.
• Put a pinch of salt on your hands and take a 1/2 cup ball of rice.
• Form the rice into either a round or triangular shape br pressing lightly with both of your palms.
• Wrap a strip of nori around each rice ball.

MEXICAN RICE BALLS - LEFTOVER RICE

Steps:

• Mix chilled rice, eggs, and peas together.
• Roll into balls about the size of a tangerine and place one cube of cheese into the rice ball. Reform balls firmly to hold shape.
• Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs into 3 separate bowls.
• Dip each ball in flour, shaking off excess and reform if needed. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off, then dredge in bread crumbs, reforming and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Repeat with remaining balls.
• Meanwhile heat 2 inches of oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot until thermometer registers 350-360 degrees F. Working in batches of 4-6 balls, lower rice balls into oil with a slotted spoon and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 350-360°F between batches.
• Serve with a tomato sauce.