After-Christmas Risotto Balls

My Christmas Wreath From Union Square Market

Christmas will soon be here and if you’re not feeling the holiday spirit yet, you better hurry up! It’s probably obvious but one of my favourite things about the holidays is eating good food and lots of it. Whether you have a large family or just the two of you, having leftovers is guaranteed. I’m sure you usually give away some, reheat it for lunch and dinner for the following few days or make sandwiches, but I have a recipe for you that will make you hold on to your leftovers a little more so that you can enjoy balls of yumminess.

This recipe is inspired by an experience at Union Square Holiday Market, in New York City, where I wandered around the stalls picking at samples, drinking hot apple cider, bought the wreath for my door and indulged in French chocolate truffles. I love markets, with the right company you can ignore the cold temperature and find interesting things to consume and recreate. These risotto balls are magic! The crispy coating provides the perfect crunch before getting to the moist, flavourful centre where the melted cheese stretches as you pull the ball away from your mouth. I should call them “moorish morsels” because it was hard for me to stop eating them.

After-Christmas Risotto Balls

After-Christmas Risotto Balls 

Makes 12 balls, Total Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups cooked risotto, cooled
• 1 cup stuffing, cooled
• .25 cup cranberry sauce
• 3/4 cup cooked turkey, shredded
• 1/3 cup Gruyère cheese, chopped finely
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil
  

  Set Up Your Station

Method

1. Pour oil into a deep pot so that the oil is about 2″-2.5″ deep and put hob on high heat.
2. Meanwhile, mix risotto, stuffing, cranberry, turkey and cheese in a bowl.
   

   Risotto Mixture

3. Wet your hands and make balls using the risotto mixture before coating in flour, then egg and finally breadcrumbs.
   

   Uncooked Risotto Balls

4. Once you have completed forming your risotto balls, the oil will be ready; place balls into oil and cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.
   

   Cooked Risotto Balls

    

This recipe surprised me it was so incredibly delicious. Put your Christmas leftovers to good use by making your Christmas dinner the gift that keeps on giving.

Tell me what you think.

Live, Love, Eat!

April x