Arancini With Brandy Soaked Raisins Food

ARANCINI WITH BRANDY-SOAKED RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook with a pinch of salt until softened, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in broth and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Add rice and reduce heat to medium; simmer rice until it is al dente, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid (there won't be much liquid left). Transfer rice to a bowl.
• Rinse out the pot and return it to medium heat. Stir in the butter and cook until foaming; whisk in 2 tablespoons flour. Cook, whisking frequently, until mixture is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the reserved rice cooking liquid and the milk, a little at a time, until fully incorporated, then whisk in Parmesan. Season with thyme, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
• Fold the milk mixture in with the rice; taste and add more salt if needed. Let cool completely, then mix in the eggs. If you're not frying the rice immediately, cover the pan and refrigerate until needed, up to 24 hours.
• Warm the brandy in a small pot or microwave; stir in the raisins and soak 20 minutes. Drain.
• Place remaining 4 tablespoons flour (1/4 cup) in a small bowl; slowly whisk in 1/2 cup water until a smooth slurry forms. Place bread crumbs in a separate bowl. In another bowl, mix together the fontina and mozzarella.
• Scoop 1/4 cup of the rice mixture into your hands and form into a flat disk. Place several raisins and heaping teaspoon of cheese into the center of each patty. Mold the rice around the filling to fully enclose it and roll between your palms to form a ball (try not to get any cheese on the exterior of the ball). Dip the ball in the slurry, then into the panko mixture, rolling it around to make sure it is well coated. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. (You can refrigerate the balls for up to 4 hours if you don't want to cook them immediately.)
• When ready to fry, fill a pot with several inches of grapeseed oil and heat until a drop of water added to the pan sizzles (about 375 degrees on a thermometer). Working in batches, lower a few rice balls into the oil at a time and fry, turning occasionally, until uniformly golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Serve immediately.

ARANCINI BALLS

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a saucepan until foamy. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and fry gently over a low heat for 15 mins, or until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another min. Stir in the rice and cook for a further min, then pour in the wine. Bring to the boil and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Pour in half the stock and simmer, stirring continuously, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the remaining stock a ladleful at a time as the rice absorbs the liquid, stirring, until the rice is cooked through (this should take about 20-25 mins). Stir in the parmesan and lemon and season to taste. Spread the risotto out into a lipped tray and leave to cool to room temperature.
• Scoop the cooled risotto into 18 equal portions - they should be slightly larger than a golf ball. Flatten a risotto ball in your hand and put a piece of the mozzarella in the centre, then enclose the cheese in the rice and roll it into a ball. Repeat with the remaining risotto balls.
• Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Dip each prepared risotto ball into the flour, followed by the eggs and finally, the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a tray and set aside.
• Half-fill a large, heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil and heat over medium-low until it reads 170C on a cooking thermometer or until a piece of bread turns golden brown in the oil within 45 seconds. Lower the risotto balls into the oil in batches and cook for 8-10 mins, or until golden brown and melted in the centre. Set aside on a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel.
• Eat the arancini warm, or serve with a basic tomato sauce for dipping.

BRANDY AND RAISIN CORDIAL - BOERENJONGENS

Steps:

• Cover raisins with water and cook for ten minutes.
• Drain and add sugar; stir to dissolve.
• Add brandy and let stand at least two days in a closed container.
• Portion raisins and liqueur into small glasses (small spoons will make eating the raisins easier).

GERMAN ROSINENBROETCHEN (GERMAN BRANDY SOAKED RAISIN COOKIES)

Steps:

• Soak raisins in a bowl with brandy for 30 minutes, covered.
• Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Using a mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
• Add sugar, vanilla sugar and the eggs and beat until thick & creamy.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the spices.
• Stir lemon zest into the flour mixture.
• Gently fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture using a wooden spoon, being carefully not to overmix.
• Drain raisins and fold them into the batter.
• Using two spoons, scoop the dough into blobs the size of a cherry and place on the parchment lined baking sheets.
• Bake at 200 C/400F for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove to wire racks to cool.
• IF USING AMERICAN MEASURING CUPS: use about 1 1/2 cups of raisins,1 stick butter,1/2 cup sugar,1 tsp vanilla sugar, about 2 2/3 cups flour.