Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 each Onion, diced
.5 ounces( ½ cup) Dried Porcinis
2 cups Carnaroli Rice (or Aborio)
1 each Bay leave
1 cup White Wine
8 cups Mushroom Stock
1 cup Mixed roasted mushrooms, chopped
¾ cup Parmesan Reggiano , grated
1 each Egg
1 ½ cups Fresh Sweet Peas, blanched (or frozen & defrosted)
¼ cup Parsley, chopped
8 ounce ball Buffalo mozzarella, diced
2 Cups All-purpose Flour
6 cups Fine bread crumbs
6 each Eggs
Directions:
Place dried porcini mushrooms in a metal bowl and cover with boiling water. After 30 minutes, drain off hydrated mushrooms. Reserve porcini water. Rough chop mushrooms. Add porcini water to the mushroom stock.
Heat up stock in a stainless steel pot. In a separate stainless steel pot with a wide bottom, melt butter. After the foam subsides, add onion and a pinch of sea salt. Sweat onions until soft and translucent. Add chopped porcinis and cook until onions are lightly browned. Add rice and toast for approximately 5 minutes until slightly aromatic.
Add wine and bay leave. Cook until completely dry. Season rice with sea salt and cracked black pepper. In small additions, add warm stock. Constantly stir rice until completely evaporated. Halfway through the cooking process, add roasted mushrooms. Continue to cook the risotto, using all the mushroom stock. Once all the stock has been added and risotto is completely dry, season with salt and pepper. Dump risotto onto a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and spread into a thin layer.
Once risotto is cooled, place in a large bowl. Add Parmesan, egg, peas, and parsley. Mix well and chill. Roll risotto mix into 1 ½ ounce balls, approximately the size of a golf ball. Push a piece of mozzarella into the center of each ball. Reseal. Prepare breading station. Whip eggs with 2 tablespoons of water. Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in 3 separate, shallow containers.
First, a few risotto balls at a time, roll in flour. Shake off any excess flour and dip in eggs. Let any excess egg drip off and place in breadcrumbs. Make sure to completely coat balls with the breadcrumbs.
In a deep, stainless still pot, heat vegetable or olive oil until a candy thermometer reads 350 degrees. 3 or 4 balls at a time, carefully lower them into the hot oil. Fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Immediately, season with sea salt and fresh pepper.
Serve with Black Garlic Pesto Aioli.