Serves 6.
2 cups purple rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup Parmesan cheese
4 eggs
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
8 to 12 oz. of your favorite shredded or cubed cheese (mozzarella, sharp cheddar, pepper jack, Gouda or Gorgonzola all work well)
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for frying
1. In a 4-quart saucepot, bring the chicken broth and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a rolling boil.
2. Add the salt and the purple rice and stir well.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook the rice until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender (about 9 to 12 minutes).
4. Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the remaining butter. Cover the rice again and allow it to steam for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Fold in the Parmesan cheese and let it cool completely.
6. Beat the eggs and fold them into the cooled rice along with the seasoned breadcrumbs and black pepper.
7. Take 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and flatten it out like a disk.
8. Place a cube of your favorite cheese, or a couple of teaspoons if the cheese is shredded, in the center of the disk.
9. Mold the disk around the cheese and roll it into a ball, making sure the cheese is sealed in the middle of the arancini. Place the arancini in a single layer on a baking sheet. The arancini may be frozen at this point and fried later. They will keep in a freezer bag in a single layer up to 1 month.
10. To fry, pour enough oil into a heavy, 10- to 12-inch skillet to fill it about one-third of the way up.
11. Pour the Panko into a shallow baking dish and roll the arancini in them.
12. Fry the rice balls in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side and drain them on a paper towel before serving.
