RICE & MOZZARELLA CROQUETTES

Rice & Mozzarella Croquettes image

This recipe was given to me a few years ago by a friend after she brought a tray of these croquetts to a pot luck get together. The recipe came from my friend's Mom, who came across it in one of her cookbooks originally. These scrumptious crisp and cheesy rice appetizers are made often for special occasions and holiday...

Provided by Lynn Hoar

Time 1h30m

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

5-6 c chicken stock
1/4 c olive oil, extra virgin plus more for frying
1/4 c finely chopped yellow onion
2 c arborio rice
3/4 c dry white wine at room temperature
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
salt & pepper
2 eggs
1/4 ~1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
6~8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut in 1/2 inch cubes
1 c all purpose flour
1 c bread crumbs ( dried)

Steps:

1. Bring stock (about 5 1/2 cups) to a simmer in saucepan. Keep warm over very low heat. In a heavy fry pan heat the olive oil (1/4 C) over medium heat, add the onion and saute about 3-4 minutes, add the rice and coat rice well with the oil in pan, saute rice about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and stir until rice absorbs all the wine.
2. Add the warm stock to the "wine-rice" a little at a time, stiring it in well but gently after each addition. Wait until rice absorbs the stock before adding in next addition of stock. Once rice is tender, (but still somewhat firm)after cooking for about 20-25 minutes ...remove from heat, add in the butter and 1/4 cup of reserved stock... and then season with salt and pepper. Spread the creamy rice mix out on a cookie sheet to cool. Once cool, scrape the rice into a bowl, add 2 of the eggs to the rice mix and blend in the parmesan cheese.
3. Place about a 1/4 cup of rice in palm of hand, pack like a meatball and flatten slightly into an oval shape making an a indentation to place 2-3 pieces of the cubed mozzarella into. Take another spoon of rice and be sure that the rice is packed all around the cheese, this time packing the "rice meatball" tightly and forming into an oval cylinder shape. Set aside and continue making oval cylinders with the remainder of the rice and mozzarella.
4. In a shallow bowl, beat the remaining 2 eggs, place flour and breadcrumbs into 2 seperate shallow bowls or pie plates. Coat each rice oval with the flour, then the egg wash and then the breadcrumbs in that order. Set aside.
5. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy pan to 350-375 degrees....you must be careful not to let oil go below 350 degrees OR above 400 degrees!!!! Use a deep fry thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temp. Fry rice ovals a few at a time until golden brown 3-5 minutes. Transfere fried ovals to paper towels to drain, then keep warm in 200 degree oven while finishing frying up the remainder of the croquettes. Serve immediately as is.... or with a side of sweet and sour or warm marinara dipping sauce!! YUM!!!