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Recipe

Lamb and pumpkin arancini balls with dijon salsa verde

The crispy coating hides a soft heart of pumpkin, rice and tender shredded lamb.

May 25, 2014 2:00pm
  • 55 mins cooking
  • Makes 12 Item
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Ingredients

Lamb and pumpkin arancini balls
  • 1/2 small pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into large chunks
  • 250 gram boneless lamb shoulder chops
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 2 clove garlic, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cup risotto rice
  • 2 cup warm vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup finely grated good quality parmesan
  • canola oil, for deep frying
  • 2 tablespoon flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup panko crumbs
Dijon salsa verde
  • 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon baby capers, drained and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon finely grated parmesan
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning

Method

Lamb and pumpkin arancini balls
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 150°C. Place pumpkin in a large pot of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until soft, drain and cover with a tea towel for 5 minutes. Mash pumpkin until smooth and set aside.
  • 2
    Season lamb and sear in a hot pan until just coloured. Wrap in foil and cook in oven for 30 minutes.
  • 3
    Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Gradually add stock, letting rice absorb it between each addition.
  • 4
    When stock is absorbed, mix in 2 cups cooked pumpkin and the Parmesan. Season rice mix to taste, spread on a large tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  • 5
    Heat canola oil in a deep fryer to 180°C. Remove lamb from oven, rest for 5 minutes, then shred lamb back into cooking juices. Roll rice into 10-12 balls, inserting lamb into centres.
  • 6
    Coat each ball in flour, then egg, then panko crumbs. Deep-fry until golden and serve with Dijon salsa verde.
Dijon salsa verde
  • 7
    Place basil, parsley, capers, garlic and lemon zest in a bowl. Add enough olive oil to make the mixture wet.
  • 8
    Add Parmesan, remaining olive oil, avocado oil and mustard. Add lemon juice and season to taste. Store in a jar in the fridge until ready to use.

Notes

Mike's Top Tips: I always make extra arancini to freeze. Then you can just pull them out of the freezer whenever you feel like a delicious afternoon treat. By cooking the lamb shoulder in foil, you’re preventing evaporation so the meat retains all its moisture. I have used shredded lamb in these rice balls, but you can easily make them vegetarian by replacing the meat with some pieces of good-quality mozzarella. This will also give the texture an extra level of gooeyness – wonderful! - Mike Van de Elzen

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