Wild Mushroom Balls

Dried morel mushrooms are just one of many wild varieties flavoring these cheesy mushroom risotto balls coated in panko and jerk seasoning.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 242 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed
• ¾ cup mascarpone cheese
• ½ (8 ounce) package panko bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons dried morel mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms
• ¼ cup salted butter, divided
• 1 large leek, finely chopped
• 4 ¼ cups vegetable stock, or to taste
• 1 (16 ounce) package Arborio rice
• 1 (6 ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning, or more to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Soak dried morel and porcini mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups water.

Step 2

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook and stir until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mixed sliced mushrooms and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer leek mixture to a bowl.

Step 3

Heat vegetable stock in a saucepan to a low simmer.

Step 4

Wipe the skillet used for the leek mixture and return to medium heat. Add remaining butter, onions, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat all the grains, 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 5

Remove the re-hydrated mushrooms from the bowl and pour the liquid into the rice. Bring to a boil, stirring until all liquid has been absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop mushrooms and add to rice. Add the heated stock, 1 ladle at a time, stirring until almost completely absorbed after each addition, about 20 minutes total.

Step 6

Stir leek mixture, mascarpone cheese, 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, and jerk seasoning in with the rice. Stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool until safe to handle, at least 30 minutes.

Step 7

Season flour with salt and pepper and spread mixture over a plate.

Step 8

Whisk eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Step 9

Mix remaining Parmesan cheese with panko in a dish.

Step 10

Form small balls of risotto using a small ice cream scoop or by hand. Dust with flour, coat with egg, and roll in the panko mixture. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Cool in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Step 11

Heat oil in a saucepan. Fry mushroom balls in batches, turning halfway until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch.