Bookmark All recipesChickenChristmasParty FoodRisottoYeast Free Turkey and gammon arancini by Michael Catling 2 November 2025 Transform yesterday’s risotto into these crunchy turkey and gammon rice balls, which ooze with a creamy mozzarella centre. They’re perfect for sharing, shacking or elevating leftovers. Crisp on the outside and seriously oozy, arancini balls are one of life’s tastiest inventions and I refuse to be told otherwise. Not a month goes by where I don’t make a big batch of risotto, just so I can turn the leftovers into these crispy rice balls with some kind of gooey filling inside. Naturally, I’ve gone all out to make this version extra special by using leftover turkey and gammon in my festive-inspired risotto. The remnants are then shaped into balls and stuffed with a lava-like mozzarella filling that oozes out as soon as you take the first bite. Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this! How To Make Turkey And Gammon Arancini Chef Catling’s recipe notes Recipe: Turkey and gammon arancini Frequently asked questions Tips & Notes To Know Use your air-fryer: Follow the recipe up to step 2 and place your arancini in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them. Brush with olive oil and cook for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway through. Customise your breadcrumb mix: Try smoked paprika, dried herbs or even a little lemon zest. Swap the cheese: Taleggio and fontina are a little fancier and maximise the melt factor. Get in the Christmas spirit: Bump up the festive flavour by mixing in leftover stuffing. Turkey and gammon arancini Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins, plus 30 mins resting time Cook time: 18 mins 18 mins Pin Print Ingredients 400g leftover turkey and gammon risotto75g mozzarella cheese, cut into 2cm cubes50g plain flour1 large free-range egg, beaten100g panko breadcrumbsVegetable oil, for deep frying To serve1 lemon, cut into wedgesSmall handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped1 jar of cranberry sauce Instructions Step 1Remove the leftover turkey and gammon risotto from the fridge. Using clean, damp hands, mould the risotto into 12 ‘golf’ balls, encasing a mozzarella cube in the centre of each. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up. Step 2Place the flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip the risotto balls in the flour first, followed by the beaten egg. Remove any excess, then roll in the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Step 3Fill a deep saucepan a third of the way up with vegetable oil and set over a medium heat until it reaches 180C (a cube of bread should turn golden within 45 seconds of being dropped in the oil). Step 4Working in batches of three or four, carefully drop the turkey and gammon risotto balls into the oil using a slotted spoon and deep fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and season with sea salt flakes. Keep warm while you cook the rest. Step 5Scatter over the parsley leaves and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve warm with cranberry sauce on the side. Did You Make This Recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @Chef_Catling. Frequently Asked Questions What Is The Difference Between Shallow Frying And Deep Frying? The main difference between shallow frying and deep frying lies in the amount of oil used, and the cooking technique. Shallow frying uses less oil, so it’s often considered more economical and healthier. When shallow frying, food is half submerged in a single layer of hot oil and needs to be flipped halfway through cooking. Whereas in deep frying, food is completely submerged in hot oil, allowing it to cook quickly and evenly on all sides.What’s The Key To A Crispy Exterior On The Arancini? Make sure the oil is hot enough. You want to hear the food sizzle as soon as it hits the pan, so aim for around 170C. To test the temperature of the oil, you can use a thermometer or the end of a chopstick. If you see little bubbles starting to form at the tip of the chopstick, the oil is ready to go. 0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Bookmark All recipesSeafoodStarters Healthy prawn and avocado cocktail by Michael Catling 25 March 2026 A lighter take on the retro prawn cocktail, this version swaps a heavy Marie Rose sauce for a fresh, zesty dressing with creamy avocado. Like many people, I got into eating avocado in a big way I few years ago. Now I can’t get enough of the stuff, so I make no apologies for using it in my reinvented version of a prawn cocktail. Prawns and avocado often feel like a match made in heaven, but throw a Marie Rose sauce into the mix and we’re on a fast-track to flavour town. Where my version of the retro classic differs is by substituting mayonnaise with natural yoghurt for a lighter, healthier dressing. The rest of the ingredients you’ll find in your store-cupboard so you can make this in advance the day before and quickly assemble everything 10 minutes before serving. You can thank me later! Everything You Need To Know To Make Healthy Prawn And Avocado Cocktail Chef Catling’s recipe notes Recipe: Healthy prawn and avocado cocktail Frequently asked questions Tips & Notes To Know Feeling indulgent? Swap the prawns for crayfish or lobster tail. Keep everything cold: Chill the sauce, prawns and serving glasses before assembly. This keeps the texture fresh and crisp. Add crunch with lettuce: Opt for finely shredded iceberg or baby gem as your base. Hold the Marie Rose dressing before serving to stop the leaves from wilting. Garnish like a pro: Sprinkle over some smoked paprika, fresh chives or even a little caviar if you’re feeling extra fancy. Healthy prawn and avocado cocktail Serves: 2 Prep time: 10 mins Pin Print Ingredients 100ml natural yoghurt (0% fat)1 heaped tsp tomato puréePinch of cayenne pepper1/4 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra for dusting1 tsp Worcestershire sauce1/2 tsp mango chutney1 lemon, juice to taste, plus slices to garnish170g cooked king prawns1/2 cucumber, deseeded and finely chopped12 cherry tomatoes, halved1/2 small iceberg lettuce, finely shredded1 avocado, stoned and finely diced To serveFresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish Instructions Step 1Combine the natural yoghurt with the tomato purée, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce and mango chutney and mix well. Step 2Squeeze in the lemon juice to taste and season with salt and a generous helping of pepper. Add the king prawns and coat in the sauce. Set aside. Step 3Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl, squeeze over extra lemon juice to prevent the avocado from browning, and divide between glasses. Top with the prawns and a sprinkle of parsley and smoked paprika to finish. Garnish with a lemon slice before serving. Did You Make This Recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @Chef_Catling. Frequently Asked Questions How Do I Buy Sustainable Prawns? Look for the Marine Stewardship Council Certification (MSC). The label identifies fish and seafood that has been caught in a sustainable way. The best choices are updated every six months on mcsuk.org. You will usually see the blue tick logo on the packaging. If you can’t see it, ask your fishmonger. 0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Bookmark All recipesBakingParty FoodVegetarian Feta and spinach borek by Michael Catling 27 March 2026 This baked borek recipe blends feta, spinach and cream cheese for a luxuriously creamy filling wrapped in golden, flaky filo. Every buffet spread or picnic needs a vegetarian dish – and this is one of my favourites. I fell in love with borek while on holiday in Turkey and sought to recreate it using a combination of feta, spinach, garlic and filo pastry. The addition of cream cheese, though unconventional, makes the filling extra creamy and creates a flavour profile not too dissimilar from creamed spinach. Everything You Need To Know To Make Feta And Spinach Borek Chef Catling’s recipe notes Recipe: Feta and spinach borek Frequently asked questions Tips & Notes To Know Keep the filo pastry covered: The sheets dry out fast, so cover unused wrappers with a damp tea towel while assembling. Prep ahead: If you want to make a batch in advance, simply assemble the borek and freeze it before baking. To cook it straight from frozen, just add a few more minutes to the baking time. Make it vegan: You can make a plant-based version of borek by using a cheese substitute, such as vegan feta or a tofu-based filling. Instead of egg wash, use a little olive oil or non-dairy milk to brush the tops. Feta and spinach borek Serves: 4 Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins 30 mins Pin Print Ingredients 1/2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing2 baby shallots, finely chopped2 garlic cloves, crushed200g baby spinach75g feta cheese, crumbled1 tbsp light cream cheese1/2 preserved lemon, deseeded and finely chopped25g pine nuts, plus extra to serveA few sprigs of fresh mint, leaves picked and chopped, plus extra to serve4 sheets of filo pastry25g white sesame seeds Instructions Step 1Remove the filo pastry from the fridge. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté for 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Step 2Add the spinach in batches and cook over a low heat until wilted. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. Step 3Tip the mixture into a bowl and add the feta cheese, cream cheese, preserved lemon, pine nuts and mint. Stir to combine and season to taste. Step 4Preheat the oven to 180C. Working as quick as you can, lay one sheet of filo pastry out on a clean work surface and slice lengthways into three strips. Brush each piece with olive oil and place a small mound of the spinach and feta mixture at the top right corner of each strip. Step 5Diagonally fold over the pastry to enclose the filling and form a triangle. Continue to fold down the length of the pastry to form a neat parcel. Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry (this recipe makes 12 borek). Step 6Arrange each borek on a baking tray lined with parchment and brush the tops with more olive oil. Scatter with sesame seeds and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Serve warm or cold, garnished with mint leaves. Did You Make This Recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @Chef_Catling. Frequently Asked Questions How Do You Stop Filo Pastry From Ripping And Cacking? I don’t consider myself much of a baker, which is why I learned the hard way that you need to work smart and fast while working with filo pastry. Before opening the packaging, make sure you bring the filo pastry to room temperature and prep all your ingredients beforehand. As you remove one sheet at a time, cover the remainder with a damp (not wet) tea towel and move quick to stop the sheets from drying out. Very rarely will I go through a whole pack without tearing a few sheets, but the beauty of filo is that you can easily patch a few pieces together without it affecting the final product. Believe me, I’ve done it. 0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
