Vegetable Risotto

• 3 cups arborio rice
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• parmesan cheese to taste
• cooked veggies: spinach, mushrooms, peas

Start by cooking any vegetables that aren't ready. I saute the spinach in olive oil with minced garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook the mushrooms in butter and white wine. I buy frozen peas and let them sit out to thaw. Now, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a big pot or dutch oven. In a saucepan, warm one quart of broth over low heat. Saute the onion until soft. Throw in the rice and toss briefly to coat with butter and oil, then add white wine. Stir well until wine is mostly absorbed, add a cup or so of warm broth. Stir until mostly absorbed. Repeat with more broth as needed, putting more broth in the saucepan to warm as you go. Stir frequently to prevent sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot. The risotto takes two or three cups of broth for each cup of rice -- the best way to tell when it's done is to start tasting it. When the rice is tender and creamy and doesn't stick to your teeth, it's done. Fold in your veggies and a handful of grated parmesan. Serve immediately with the leftover white wine.

I list the recipe with 3 cups of rice, which makes a simply massive pot of risotto, because we usually eat it as a main course. If you're serving it with something else, feel free to make less. But, considering our boundless appetite for creamy rice and veggie goodness, it seems that no matter how much I make, we go through most of it. You need leftovers to make arancini, so I try to cook as much risotto as will fit in the pot.

Arancini

• leftover risotto
• one block of good mozzarella cheese
• about 1/2" olive oil in your frying vessel
• flour for breading
• beaten egg for breading
• seasoned breadcrumbs (I add salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder to taste)

Heat oil in a deep pan or pot to about 350 degrees. (Use an fry thermometer if you have one.) While oil gets hot, cube mozzarella into bite-sized pieces. Insert one piece of cheese into a small handful of leftover vegetable risotto. Form into a ball with cheese at center. Roll in flour, egg mixture, and seasoned breadcrumbs in that order to coat. Set aside. When all of arancini have been made into uniform size balls and breaded, fry in batches for about two minutes per side in the hot oil, turning once. Add more oil to the pan between batches as needed. Arancini will be a deep golden brown on both sides when ready. Set on paper towels to drain. When all have been fried, place in a foil-lined baking dish and bake at 350 for another 15 minutes or so, to heat them through and make sure cheese inside is melted. Serve with marinara dipping sauce.