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Transform yesterday’s risotto into these crunchy and gooey rice balls with a hidden mozzarella and cranberry centre.

Golden, crisp and seriously indulgent, 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 chicken and gammon risotto in my festive-inspired risotto. The remnants are then shaped into balls and stuffed with a lava-like mozzarella and cranberry filling that oozes out as soon as you take the first bite. Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this!

How To Make Chicken And Gammon Arancini

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.

Chicken and gammon arancini

Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 mins, plus 30 mins resting time Cook time: 18 mins 18 mins

Ingredients

400g leftover turkey and gammon risotto
75g mozzarella cheese, cut into 2cm cubes
50g plain flour
1 large free-range egg, beaten
100g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

To serve
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
Cranberry sauce

Instructions

Step 1
Remove 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 2
Place 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 3
Fill 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 4
Working 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 5
Scatter 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.

For a stunning meat-free roast, try this whole-roasted pumpkin with a Middle-Eastern inspired stuffing.

Pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween. There are multiple varieties available during the autumn months and so many brilliant ways that you can bring them to life.

This is one of my favourites: A whole roasted pumpkin that has been stuffed with all manner of goodies. It has a few flavours of Christmas (think cranberries, nutmeg and chestnuts), but with a strong Middle Eastern twist thanks to the vibrancy of the pomegranates, herbs, and a good whack of lemon juice.

Make it for your next dinner party and everyone will be talking about it.

How to Make My Whole Pumpkin Stuffed With Mixed Grains And Chestnuts

Chef Catling’s recipe notes
Recipe: Whole pumpkin stuffed with mixed grains and chestnuts
Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

Prioritise taste: Large, halloween-style halloweens, known as Jack o’ Lantern, might be good for carving, but they’re watery and often bland. Try to seek out smaller varieties if you can, like Crown Prince, Uchiki Kuri or Kabocha, which are sweeter and fuller in flavour.
Got leftovers? Store the stuffed pumpkin in the fridge for up to 4 days and build your own salad or grain bowl using extra veggies and maple-glazed halloumi.

Whole pumpkin stuffed with mixed grains and chestnuts

Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 1 hour 1 hour

Ingredients

1 small-to-medium sized pumpkin
2 tbsp olive oil
30g walnuts, crumbled
2 baby shallots, finely chopped
1 x 250g microwavable pack of mixed grains
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g cooked chestnuts, sliced
1/4 tsp chilli powder
Pinch of nutmeg
30g dried cranberries
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, zest and juice

To serve
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
Pomegranate molasses, to drizzle

Instructions

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C. Wash the outside of the pumpkin thoroughly, then cut the top off. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and save the former to roast later if you like. Rub the inside, outside and the pumpkin lid with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and plenty of seasoning.

Step 2
Place the pumpkin and lid on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about an hour. It’s ready when you can easily pierce through the skin with a knife and the flesh is soft, but not collapsing.

Step 3
Spread the walnuts out on a lined baking tray and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, shaking occasionally to stop them from scorching.

Step 4
Once the pumpkin is almost cooked, heat the remaining olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the shallots. Sauté for 5 minutes or until soft but not coloured. Empty the packet of mixed grains into the pan and stir in the garlic, chestnuts, chilli powder and nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes more.

Step 5
Add the cranberries, parsley, walnuts and the lemon zest and juice to the pan and toss everything together.

Step 6
Fill the pumpkin cavity with the stuffing and prop the lid on the side. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and drizzle generously with the pomegranate molasses. Cut into large wedges to serve.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag me on Instagram at @Chef_Catling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should I Do With The Pumpkin Seeds?

Don’t toss them away. They make a brilliant and healthy snack that is rich in fibre and magnesium. Simply pat the seeds dry with kitchen paper and spread out on a baking tray.

Toss with a little olive oil, seasoning and smoked paprika and roast in a preheated oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway, until nicely golden and crisp.

Should I Use Packet Or Fresh Chestnuts?

Chestnuts are an autumn fruit, hence they are only ‘in season’ between September and November. Outside of this period, you can save yourself a lot of money and hassle by purchasing chestnuts which have already been cooked, peeled and vacuum-packed.

Merchant Gourmet is the market leader, but you can pick up own-brand ranges from Lidl and Aldi for two thirds of the price.