Parma ham Risotto Balls

Parma ham Risotto Balls served with: White Reserve Douro Valley. Serves 4-6.

To make the Risotto:

• 1L of chicken stock
• 30g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 250g Arborio rice
• A glass of white wine
• 80g Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• A small handful of finely chopped parsley leaves
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Pour the chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a low heat.
2. Heat the butter in a large pan over a low-medium heat and add the onion and celery. Mix well and cook slowly for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables have gone translucent and really soft.
3. Tip the rice into the same pan and stir it well into the butter and onion. Increase the heat to medium and pour in the wine, stirring continuously, until the smell of the alcohol disappears. Slowly add the chicken stock, a ladle at a time, stirring continuously, until it has all been absorbed and the rice is cooked. This should take around 15-20 minutes. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, parsley and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and leave to cool. Once cooled transfer into a container and refrigerate overnight.

To make the Risotto Balls:

• 4 slices of Parma ham
• 125g mozzarella
• 1L sunflower oil
• Chilled risotto, see above
• 140g plain flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 125g breadcrumbs
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges to serve

Preparation:

1. Pre heat the grill to high. Lay 4 slices of Parma ham out on a grilling tray and grill for 2-2 1/2 minutes, or until golden and crunchy. Remove from the grill and set to one side to cool.
2. Chuck the mozzarella into a mixing bowl and crunch over the pieces of Parma ham. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and squish the mozzarella and Parma ham together, using your fingers.
3. Heat the sunflower oil for deep-frying in a deep saucepan over a medium heat. Roll a small amount of the chilled risotto into a golf ball sized ball, flatten it between your hands and place a little of the mozzarella and Parma ham mixture into the centre. Scoop up the edges and roll the back into a ball. Dip the risotto ball into flour, egg then breadcrumbs and set to one side. Repeat this with the rest of the risotto; you should be able to make 16-18 risotto balls.
4. Carefully place 3-4 of the risotto balls in the hot oil and deep fry them for 5-6 minutes, or until they have gone golden and crispy and the inside has warmed through. Remove from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen paper for 1 minute. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.