- Yield: approx. 50 arancini
Rabbit-Sausage-Stuffed Arancini with Basil Aioli and Tomato Coulis
Recipe courtesy of Tristam Solis, Banquet Chef, New Orleans Country Club (New Orleans, La.)
Ingredients
- Ingredients for Champagne and Moliterno rabbit sausage:
- boneless rabbit - 5 lbs.
- pork shoulder - 5 lbs.
- Dextrose - 2 Tbsps.
- black pepper - 1 Tbsp.
- kosher salt - 4 Tbsps.
- toasted and cracked fennel seeds - 3 Tbsps.
- crushed red pepper - 2 Tbsps.
- dry Champagne - 2 cups
- Moliterno - 6 Tbsps.
- Ingredients for chlorophyll extraction:
- parsley - 1 bunch
- basil - 1 bunch
- spinach - .50 bag
- cold water - 1 gal.
- Ingredients for basil aioli:
- egg yolks - 6 ea.
- kosher salt - 3 tsps.
- white pepper - 1 tsp.
- lemon juice - 2 Tbsps.
- 80/20 blend oil - 3 cups
- basil chlorophyll extraction - 2 tsps.
- Ingredients for tomato coulis:
- tomatoes - 1 lb.
- basil - 1 bunch
- Minus 8 vinegar - 2 tsps.
- sugar - 1 pinch
- salt - to taste
- pepper - to taste
- Ingredients for carnaroli risotto:
- carnaroli rice - 1 lb.
- chicken stock - 6 cups
- wine - 1 cup
Instructions
Procedure for Champagne and Moliterno rabbit sausage:
- Freeze meat grinder housing, worm, blade, and die (grinder plate) for 1 hour before using.
- Combine rabbit and pork shoulder and grind with 1/4-inch grinder plate. Mix in remaining ingredients but do not emulsify. Label, date and hold.
Procedure for chlorophyll extraction:
- Wash the herbs and spinach very well. Remove the stems from the parsley, place the fresh herbs and spinach in the blender.
- Add enough water to cover the herbs by two inches. You will probably have to pulse the herbs a little bit first, then add more water. Let the blender run on high for a full minute or until herbs and spinach have liquefied.
- Through a fine chinois, strain the mixture into a heavy saucepot. Don’t press any of the pulp through the chinois. The pulp can be discarded.
- Place some ice cubes in a bain-marie and cover the top with two thin sheets of cheese cloth, securely tied at the top.
- Place the pot of green liquid on the stove and bring to a simmer as rapidly as possible. As the simmer approaches, you will notice the chlorophyll coagulate and rise to the surface. Skim off the chlorophyll and pour it over the cheesecloth. The cheesecloth will catch the chlorophyll, and the hot water will be cooled by the ice below, thus preventing steam from developing.
- Cool the chlorophyll as quickly as possible. (Chef’s note: Chlorophyll will last in the cooler for up to 2 weeks.)
Procedure for basil aioli:
- Combine yolks, salt, pepper, and lemon juice in food processor.
- Purée, then slowly add oil until smooth, thick, and creamy.
- Finish by gently whisking in basil chlorophyll.
Procedure for tomato coulis:
- Make a concasse of tomato. Finely chop the tomatoes and leave to stand in a chinois for 30 minutes to drain excess liquid.
- Blend the tomatoes with basil, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Label, date, and hold.
Procedure for carnaroli risotto:
- Use standard, preferred risotto cooking method.
- Cool overnight.
To plate:
- Using a #100 scoop, portion sausage onto sheet pan and pre-cook.
- Using a #20 scoop, scoop risotto and insert sausage into the center of each arancini.
- Bread with flour, Trisol (70% flour to 30% Trisol), egg wash, and finely ground panko bread crumbs.
- Using a squeeze bottle, make a ring of basil aioli on the outskirt of the plate, followed by a 1-ounce ladle of tomato coulis to fill in the center.
- Arrange 3 arancini in the middle of the plate, on top of the coulis. Garnish with grated Moliterno and micro-basil.
