Crispy + Creamy = Arancini

I first discovered arancini last year when we visited Boston (and basically ate our way through the North End). I was immediately in love (with Boston, yes, but with arancini in particular). In fact, I even ranked them #6 on my list of all-time best vacation foods!

I had never heard of arancini before I found them in Boston, and little did I know that my life was not complete. They are fried rice balls filled with ragu and they originated in Sicily. Their name comes from their shape and color ... arancia means orange in Italian. They are absolutely delicious and I might even say they're my favorite Italian food. They're crispy, creamy and saucy all at once!

Arancini were in my recipe wishlist, and given the complex and time-consuming nature of preparing both the risotto and ragu required for them, I knew they'd be a weekend project. Start to finish, dinner took me about two and a half hours to cook tonight (during the down time I was even able to squeeze in a batch of red velvet cookies!). But it was so worth it!

Sicilian Style Arancini
Ingredients:
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/4 dry white wine
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup bolognese sauce (recipe follows)
Vegetable oil for frying
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dry Italian bread crumbs

Directions:
To make the risotto, in a saucepan bring broth to a simmer. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is opaque and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook, stirring until absorbed. While continually stirring with a wooden spoon, begin adding the broth in 1/2-cup increments, allowing the liquid to become completely absorbed by the rice between additions. Cook until the rice is just tender and the risotto is creamy, about 20 minutes. Add the grated cheese, heavy cream, salt and pepper and stir to combine well. Transfer to a mixing bowl and refrigerate until chilled.

When ready to make the arancini, remove the chilled risotto from the refrigerator. Using a small scoop, divide the risotto in about 3-tablespoon sized portions. Form the portions into balls using your hands.

Press a hole into each risotto ball and stuff the center with a heaping teaspoon of the bolognese sauce. Press the opening closed and roll the ball between your hands until it is smooth. Set aside while you prepare the other arancini. Refrigerate 20 minutes to allow balls to set up before coating and drying.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees. Place the flour, egg, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. One by one, lightly dredge each risotto ball in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs, so that each ball is completely coated.

Fry the balls in batches, a few at a time, turning once during cooking so that they are evenly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly before serving. Serve hot on top of remaining bolognese with a sprinkle of parmesan.

Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon frozen peas
1 cup tomato sauce

Directions:
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until it is crisp and has released almost all of its fat, about 6 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the ground beef and ground pork and cook, stirring to break up any clumps, until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain fat from pan. Add the wine, garlic, and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beef broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes.

Combine the milk and cream in a cup. After the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, add the milk-cream mixture at even intervals over 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, the milk mixture should be completely incorporated and the sauce should be thick and creamy. Add frozen peas. Remove 1/4 cup sauce for the arancini and place in a small bowl. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer until ready to serve.


As I told Bill after dinner, it's a good thing these were such a success because I would have been pissed off if the dinner that took me almost 3 hours to cook had been bad! Bill even said they were better than the arancini at Glorioso's, the Italian market on Brady Street. I haven't had Glorioso's arancini so I can't compare, but I can say that I came pretty close to replicating the deliciousness we had in Boston :)

Vacation Food

I was browsing through some vacation photos tonight and they made me hungry. Being big food-lovers (and I say food-lovers instead of foodies because I feel like foodies are much more particular), eating plays a pretty big part in all of our vacations. In fact, we probably do more research on awesome restaurants and signature dishes in any given city we visit than we do actual activities or points of interest.

During my trip down vacation memory lane, I started thinking about some of my all-time favorite foods I've had on our trips. So I thought I'd count them down for you, and give you a few photos where possible.

10. Crepes from La Creperie at Paris Las Vegas
I'm sure that the crepe I had from a street vendor in Paris, France, was actually better, but the crepes at La Creperie inside Paris Las Vegas are pretty amazing. I'm not really a fan of savory crepes, but give me nutella and whipped cream and I'm in heaven. I try to go here once during every Vegas trip. There's just something about a crepe that makes you happy, oui?

9. Shave Ice from any beach-side stand in Honolulu

I have to admit that it took me a while to get over the fact that they call it "Shave Ice" when it should be "Shaved Ice." You know I'm a stickler for grammar, but obviously Pidgin English isn't. I got over it enough to enjoy shave ice just about every day on our honeymoon. Maybe it was the Honolulu heat, but there was something so super refreshing about chipping away at a shave ice while you strolled around on the island.

8. Pancakes from Snooze in Denver
I believe there are two types of people in this world: waffle people and pancake people. Snooze is for pancake people. You know they're good when you can get a Pancake Flight, which includes three of their incredible varieties. I skipped the flight, but had "The Graceland" which, as you'd expect, involves bananas, peanut butter and bacon. But Bill had "Pineapple Upside Down Cake" which was a-ma-zing!

7. Blueberry Ale from Salem Beer Works in Boston

So it's not technically a food, but I'm pretty sure that here in Milwaukee beer is considered a food group. Much to the chagrin of native Milwaukeeans, I'm not a beer drinker. But when I can find a fruity beer, I'll usually give it a try. Salem Beer Works in Boston had a blueberry ale, and what made it tasty was the fresh blueberries floating in it!

6. Arancini from Galleria Umberto in Boston
I'm going to confess, I didn't know what arancini was before I visited Boston. But when I learned they were Sicilian fried rice balls, I had to have one. Usually made with risotto filled with meat sauce, mozzarella and peas, then coated in bread crumbs and deep fried, arancini are unique but oh-so-good. They're quite possibly the best part of the very limited menu at Galleria Umberto in the North End.

5. Pizza from Galleria Umberto in Boston
Galleria Umberto is truly a whole in the wall, but known for making the best pizza in Boston. And it truly is the best. They open at 11:00 a.m. every day and close when the pizza sells out, which is quickly. Bill and I went twice during our trip to Boston in May and the line was out the door on both visits. All they have on the menu is Sicilian-style pizza (cheese only - don't you dare ask for another topping), calzones and arancini, but the few things they do they do well.

4. Dole Whip from the Dole Pineapple Plantation (and other ice cream stands) in Honolulu
You haven't lived if you haven't had Dole Whip! I'm not kidding when I say that a trip to Hawaii is worth it for the Dole Whip alone. Think pineapple flavored soft serve. Mmmmm! It's so light and super duper refreshing. I'm sure I could find a recipe and attempt to make it, but I'm afraid it would ruin the memory.

3. Teriyaki Chicken from the Dole Pineapple Plantation in Honolulu

You wouldn't guess that the best meal we had in Hawaii came from the cafeteria at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. But hands down, those teriyaki grilled chicken cutlets, two scoops of rice, salad and fresh pineapple spears were to die for. I'd give just about anything to relive this meal.

2. Cannoli from Modern Pastry in Boston
You have no idea how much I wish I could teleport myself to Boston for cannoli from Modern Bakery every night. I have a special place in my heart for cannoli because my grandmother made them on special occasions, so I always get excited to have one. But too many have soggy shells and way-too-sweet filling. Modern makes their cannoli just like Nana did. And they're perfect.

1. Sourdough Bread from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco
So San Francisco isn't technically a vacation destination because I still consider it home. But given how infrequently I go (a couple times a year if I'm lucky), it sometimes feels more like a vacation. No matter what, I always fill up on Boudin sourdough. As far as I'm concerned, Boudin is the ONLY sourdough. It's the perfect balance of crusty and chewy and is good any way you want it - as a sandwich, as a bread bowl, with a salad, alongside pasta. After the Golden Gate Bridge and the Giants, Boudin is my favorite part of the city.

There are probably dozens of amazing foods I'm leaving off the list, but if these were the first to come to me I figured they must rank at the top. Now that I've made myself so hungry, I can't wait to hear about the best foods you've had on vacation :)