Carrot Arancini with Roasted Carrot Hummus
Carrot Arancini with Roasted Carrot Hummus

Carrot Arancini with Roasted Carrot Hummus

  • Prep time:

  • Cook time:

  • Total time:

  • Portion/Yield:

    Serves 6 as a starter

  • Difficulty:

    Easy

Arancini also know as risotto balls. Traditionally the risotto balls are stuffed with a thick tomato based meat sauce or cubes or mozzarella and then deep-fried. For this recipe I have baked the arancini balls in the oven instead, this makes them healthier and less fatty, but if you insist you could deep fry them, the choice is yours.

On my cookery journey I have fallen in love with the functions and capabilities of the Thermomix. It’s a brilliant piece of finely crafted German perfection however it took a lot of persuasion to convince me that I could successfully make a risotto in it. I experimented and I was completely stunned!

The first time when I made the risotto in the thermomix I took a tray and spread the cooked risotto rice as thinly as possible. The reason for this act of madness was to inspect each grain of rice in search of a broken grain. I thought if I could find one broken grain then I would have been satisfied and could then happily say it does not work. I have to confess and hold my hands up and say ‘Yes, it works! ‘

I’m secretly very pleased as it means that I can make this recipe for canape parties, it saves me time as the machine does all the stirring, less for me to do.

Ingredients & Method

For the roasted carrot puree

  • 300g carrots, peeled and sliced in1 cm pieces
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the carrot risotto

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 40g chopped banana shallots
  • 100g arborio risotto rice
  • 50ml white wine
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 200ml vegetable stock
  • 80g roasted carrot puree
  • 20g grated Parmesan cheese (or vegetarian hard cheese)
  • 40g mascarpone cheese
  • 100g baby carrots cut into 1cm rounds, cooked
  • 50g Panko Honey Bread Crumbs

For the roasted carrot hummus

  • 200g Roasted carrot puree
  • Sea salt and pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoons sumac
  • 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 120g cooked chickpeas
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 50ml cold water
  • Zest and juice of one lemon

First prepare the roasted carrot puree. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Toss the diced carrots in the olive oil and season. Spread the carrots on to the roasting tray and roast for 40 minutes, until the carrots are tender to the touch.

While the carrots are warm puree them until smooth in a blender. Set aside.

Next prepare the risotto in the thermomix. Measure the olive oil and chopped shallots into the thermomix jug. Set the timer for 4 minutes at 100°C speed 2. Add the rice, butter and the wine, set the timer to 3 minutes at 100°C reverse blade spoon setting. Add the stock set the timer to 12 minutes 100°C reverse blade spoon setting. Please stop and stir the risotto half way during the cooking time. Taste the risotto after the suggested cooking time, add two more minutes if needed.

Add the mascarpone, Parmesan, roasted carrot puree and stir and let the risotto rest for 1 minute with the lid on in the jug.

Spoon the risotto into a clean container, cover with cling film and let the risotto cool completely.

While the risotto is cooling prepare the hummus. Place all the ingredients for the hummus in a clean thermomix jug and blend at speed 8 for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides down and repeat the process until the houmous has the desired texture. I like my houmous to still have some coarse bits. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Spoon the hummus into a serving dish, garnish with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of sumac set aside while finishing the arancini.

For the arancini, preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.photo of Carrot Arancini with Roasted Carrot Hummus

Divide the risotto in to 32 even size balls. Insert a piece of cooked carrot in the centre of each rice ball, roll to smooth and compress the rice balls. Roll each ball in the Panko bread crumbs, roll to compress.photo of Carrot Arancini with Roasted Carrot Hummus

Place the balls on the baking tray and bake them in the oven for 20 minutes, shaking the tray once to roll them over to ensure an even golden brown colour.

Serve the warm crispy arancini balls with the roasted carrot hummus.

Cooks Notes

I cook this risotto in the Thermomix and have all the trust in the world that it will be perfect. Please remember to use the reverse setting. You can if you wish cook the risotto in a saucepan on the cooker, add the stock, bits at a time. Stir the risotto continuously to ensure a creamy glutenous texture.

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