Arancini with ham and blue cheese

Step 1

Gently cook 1 finely chopped onion in 30ml olive oil for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add 150g risotto rice and stir on the heat for 20 seconds or so.

Step 2

Add 500ml hot strong chicken stock a little at a time, stirring as you add it, ensuring each addition has been absorbed by the rice. Season and continue cooking until the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed. This will take around 20 minutes. You may not need all the stock so check the rice and stop adding stock if it is cooked.

Step 3

Stir through 20g butter, then leave the rice to cool completely. Once cool, mix in 50g finely chopped smoked or unsmoked ham and 50-60g blue cheese (broken into small pieces or grated) and re-season if necessary.

Step 4

Have three containers ready, one for 30g flour, one with 1 beaten egg and the third with 75g fresh white or panko breadcrumbs. Shape the risotto mix into either 4 large arancini or 16 mini ones. Roll the rice balls through the flour shaking off any excess, then through the egg and finally through the breadcrumbs.

Step 5

Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until required.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas mark

Step 7

Pre-heat a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-bottomed saucepan filled with about 8cm vegetable or corn oil to 170c.

Step 8

Fry the arancini (in 2 batches if necessary) until golden. Turn them with a slotted spoon until evenly coloured, then transfer to a plate with kitchen paper. This will take 2-3 minutes for the mini ones or 4-5 minutes for the larger.

Step 9

Transfer to an oven tray and heat for 5-10 minutes – or until they are piping hot all the way through – before serving.