Arancini Di Riso, sort of....

As I was having coffee in bed this morning, I was watching Friday's The Chew.  Michael Symon made Arancini Di Riso.  It looked SO GOOD! Here's the link if you want to see it, click here.  They claimed on the show that you could use any rice.  He was using a delicious (I'm sure) creamy risotto, which I'm sure is the best. But Mario mentioned left over Chinese fried rice could even be used.  I was curious.  I knew we had leftover basil rice from our chicken kabob dinner last night, so I thought I'd give it shot.

 

I mixed together the leftover basil brown rice, salt & pepper, a sprinkling of bread crumbs, an egg and an egg yolk and some parmesan cheeese. I rolled them in seasoned panko and fried them up.  I was skeptical, but tomorrow is shopping day and the cabinets are bare around here. (another MacGyver meal).  But they turned out REALLY GOOD! Can you see the crunch? And the middle was creamy.  Yum!

 

 

But the best part was the sauce I think.  I put two fresh tomatoes in a blender with a handful of fresh basil, olive oil, salt & pepper and garlic. I added a pinch of sugar and a few splashes of balsamic vinegar. Whirled it to a sauce and put it over the stove to cook for about 20 minutes. Then I put a generous amount on the  bottom of the plate and drizzled with the leftover basil oil and red pepper oil from the chowder I made the other day. PERFECT!  I finished it with another dusting of parmesan and from basil leaves.