Leek, chicken, tarragon and peas arancini, white wine and truffle veloute
Arancini Ingredients
1 ltr chicken stock (if using brought chicken stock taste for saltiness and soften with a little water if necessary)
100g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves minced (not brought pre-minced garlic)
350g arborio rice
200ml white wine
2 sprigs of tarragon chopped
1 leek sliced
4 sprigs of parsley chopped
250g of leftover roasted chicken, chopped into a fine dice or shredded
150g of fresh or frozen peas
4 egg yolks
150g grated pecorino
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
Egg wash Ingredients
Five eggs
200ml milk
Ingredients to finish
30 pieces of pecorino cut into half centimeter sized cubes
1kg breadcrumbs
Arancini Method
In a large heavy pot sweat onion and garlic in butter, until the onion softens and the garlic is aromatic. Add the leek, stirring for two minutes, then add the arborio rice. Stir the rice until the rice becomes glassy. This should take roughly four to five minutes. Add white wine, stirring gently until the liquid is absorbed. Add a ladleful of chicken stock to the rice mixture, stirring gently until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring gently and constantly, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful. This should take ten to fifteen minutes or until the rice mixture is tender yet firm to the bite (al dente) and the risotto is creamy. Pour into a tray and cool quickly.
When the risotto is cold, stir through all other ingredients and season to taste.
Once all the ingredients are well combined roll the risotto rice mixture into balls approximately the size of twenty cent pieces. Place a hole into each ball and place pecorino cheese cube into the centre and then mould the rice around the cheese to fill the enclosure.
Beat five whole eggs with the milk to make an egg wash – set aside.
Dip each arancini ball into the egg wash and then roll in the breadcrumbs, repeat this step twice to ensure a good coating. I would recommend test one before you roll all of them to see if you need to adjust the seasoning, breadcrumb coating etc. Fry the arancini at 180 degrees in small batches.
White wine and porcini veloute
Ingredients
500ml chicken stock
100gm dried porcinis, roughly chopped
10 shallots chopped
8 garlic cloves minced
500ml white wine
500ml cream
Method
Sweat shallots and garlic in butter until the shallots soften. Add the dried porcinis and the white wine. Reduce by ¾. Add the chicken stock and reduce by ¾ and then add the cream and reduce by ½. Season to taste, blitz in a blender and pass through a fine strainer.
Assembly
Spoon the veloute onto the plate and place the arancini balls on top and serve immediately. Enjoy!