Serves: 6 (as finger food)
Prep Time: 40 min plus cooling
Cook Time: 40min
Ingredients
- 500g chestnuts, cooked and peeled (Purchase here)
(Note: 800g of fresh chestnuts produces approx 500g once cooked and peeled) - 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 25L vegetable stock
- 1 brown onion
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 2 cups fine breadcrumbs (can be Gluten Free breadcrums if needed)
- 2 cups sunflower oil
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan on medium.
- Chop the onion very finely and add to the oil. Sautee until softened and slightly golden. About 5-7 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and continue stirring for a further minute until fragrant.
- Add rice to the saucepan and stir, coating well.
- Meanwhile, place the stock in another saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Once hot, add a ladle-full to the rice mixture and stir. From here it will need to be stirred constantly until done.
- As each ladle-full is absorbed into the rice, add another and continue stirring until the rice is cooked and has taken on a creamy, risotto-like texture. The amount of stock used to achieve this may vary but ensure all liquid has evaporated and the rice is soft before turning off the heat.
- Stir in allspice and chopped chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Place risotto mixture in a bowl to cool then refrigerate until cooled completely.
- Remove risotto from fridge. Fill a shallow bowl with breadcrumbs. Take heaped teaspoons of the risotto mixture, roll into balls and then toss in breadcrumbs.
- In a large frying pan, heat the sunflower oil on medium. It is ready when a piece of bread turns golden in about 30 seconds. Fry each ball for approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. It should look browned on the outside and be warmed through in the middle. Season with a little salt and pepper. Serve with creamy aioli.
Recipe and Image Credits: Chestnuts Australia
