Seaweed Arancini Balls

Arancini are a classic Italian street food with many regional variations. The name arancini is derived from the Italian word for orange – aranciu – referring to their shape and appearance when cooked. Arancini are balls of risotto rice which are stuffed, rolled in breadcrumbs and fried. The flavours and fillings vary depending on where in Italy they are made. In Sicily, they typically have a conical shape, and are filled with meat ragù, inspired by the volcano Etna. More commonly they are round, filled with cheese and ham. Our version combines cheese with walnuts and seaweed to make a delicious kind of pesto. If you wanted to make a meaty version you could always add ham. Arancini make a fabulous starter served with a fresh green salad.

This recipe makes 16 balls

Cooking time: Approx. 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup aborio rice

1 tbsp walnuts

1/2 cup mozzarella

½ cup fontina cheese

2 tbsp Dulse flakes (or Arctic Ocean Greens)

2 eggs

½ cup parmesan

1 ½ cup bread crumbs

Oil to fry

Directions:

Dice onion and garlic. Take a large pot, add a dash of oil and add the onions. Cook until golden then add the garlic.

Add the stock and rice to your pot. Bring the heat low and place a lid over the pot. Let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is soft.

When the rice is ready, remove it from the pot to a lined tray for the rice to cool. Let the rice cool to room temperature before continuing.

While waiting, combine mozzarella, fontina, chopped walnuts and dulse in a bowl.

Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl and stir in the room temperature rice. Mix in ⅔ cup of breadcrumbs and the parmigiano.

Take a flat plate or dish and pour the rest of the breadcrumbs onto it.

Now using your hands make a 1 ½ inch ball of rice then press your thumb into the centre and put in 2 tsp of the walnut and cheese mixture. Pinch together the ball and roll it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat this until you are out of rice.
For best results refrigerate the balls for 1 hour.

When you are ready take a frying pan, add 1 ½ cm of oil and wait until very hot. You can test it with one of your arancini balls, place it in the oil and if it starts to bubble around the edges your oil is ready.

Add your arancini balls in batches of 4 or 5 at a time and turn every few minutes until golden on all sides. This usually takes 3 – 4 minutes. Remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and place on some paper towel.

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Repeat with all of the balls.

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Season and serve with you choice of accompaniment.

If you enjoyed these seaweed arancini balls, you might like the following recipes:

Pulled chicken tacos

Smoked seaweed focaccia

Truffle seaweed carbonara

Recipe product

Simple, delicious and healthy!

Arctic Ocean Greens is a blend of hand harvested wakame and dulse, with no added salt.These seaweed flakes have a subtle umami flavour that enhance the other flavours of your meal

It’s an ideal choice if you are seeking a balanced diet, looking to reduce salt intake without compromising on flavour, or for vegans and vegetarians who want umami taste and a plant-based source of iodine.

It pairs beautifully with seafood, soups and stews, as well as in bread and baked goods. You can also use it in smoothies, porridge or yoghurt.