Mushroom Arancini with Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients

• 90g unsalted butter
• 500g swiss brown mushrooms, chopped
• 2 tbs thyme leaves
• 2 cups (500ml) red wine
• 2 tsp porcini powder*
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 leeks, white part only, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 250g carnaroli* or aborio rice
• 1L (4 cups) vegetable stock, heated
• 1 1/4 cups (100g) finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
• 150g teleggio, rind removed, cut into 30 cubes
• 1 cup (150g) plain flour, seasoned
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tbs milk
• 3 cups (300g) dried breadcrumbs
• sunflower, to deep fry
• 1/4 cup tarragon, chopped
• 1/4 cup chervil, chopped
• 50ml truffle oil*, plus extra to serve
• For the Green Goddess Dressing
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream
• 1/2 cup (120g) creme fraiche
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbs chopped tarragon
• 6 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, chopped
• handful of rocket
• *Available from delis

Method

Step 1

Melt 40g of butter in a pan over a medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cooked, stirring for 6-8 minutes until softened. Add the thyme and 1 cup/250ml of red wine and cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until the wine evaporates. Stir in the porcini powder and season. Cool slightly. then whizz in a food processor until finely chopped.

Step 2

Place the olive oil and the remaining 50g of butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Cook the leek, onion and garlic for 8-10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the rice stirring to coat the grains for one minute. Add the remaining wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine has evaporated. Stir in the stock, one ladlefull at a time allowing the rice to absorb the liquid. Continue to cook stirring occasionally until all the stock has been used and the rice is aldente.

Step 3

Remove from heat , then stir through mushroom mixture, parmesan, chopped herbs and truffle oil, Season, then spread on a baking tray to cool. Chill for 1 hour.

Step 4

With damp hands, roll rice mixture into balls, pressing a taleggio cube into the centre of each. Dip arrancini first in flour, then egg mixture, then coat in crumbs. Dip arancini again in egg mixture and crumbs, then chill for 30 minutes.

Step 5

Half-fill a large pan or deep-fryer with sunflower oil and heat to 190C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when the oil is hot enough). In batches, fry arancini for 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towel.

Step 6

For the Green Goddess Dressing

Step 7

Whiz herbs, anchovy and garlic in a food processor creating a fine paste. Add the sour cream, creme fraiche and lemon juice and whiz to combine. Season, then strain through a fine sieve. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Step 8

Spoon some green goddess dressing onto serving plates , then top with arancini. Drizzle with extra truffle oil and serve with extra parmesan, rocket and remaining dressing.