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40 Minute Mozzarella-Stuffed Rice Balls
Ingredients
- 3 cups Minute Rice® White Cups
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) bread crumbs
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
- 18 cubes mozzarella (about ½ inch/1 cm pieces)
- 6 cups (1.5 L) Canola oil, for frying
- 2 tbsp (30 mL) mixed fresh greens
- 4 tsp (20 mL) olive oil
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) rice wine vinegar
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Step 1
Prepare rice according to package directions. While still hot, stir in butter and Parmesan cheese; let cool completely. Stir in eggs, 1/2 cup (12 5 mL) of the bread crumbs and parsley.
Step 2
Roll 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the rice mixture into a ball. Hollow out the centre to create a space for the filling; place one cube of mozzarella in centre of ball. Reshape the rice to enclose the filling. Repeat to make 18 rice balls; roll in remaining bread crumbs.
Step 3
In deep fryer or deep saucepan, pour enough oil to come about 4 inches (10 cm) up side of pan; heat to 350˚F (180˚C). Fry rice balls, in batches, for 3 or 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel–lined tray.
Step 4
Toss greens with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve with rice balls.
Best Way to Chop Parsley
The best way to chop parsley is to use the rock-chop method where you begin rocking the knife up and down while keeping the tip of the blade always on the surface of the cutting board. This helps maintain cutting control and uses the knife leverage to your advantage to cut cleanly down and through ingredients.
How to Grate Cheese Without a Grater
Food Processor
Following the instructions, attach the food processor’s shredding disk. Depending on the type of cheese, cut a block of cheese into smaller pieces or small cubes so that it can fit through the feed tube of the food processor. Feed the cheese through the tube while the food processor is operating. Alternately, put the cheese immediately into the food processor’s bowl and pulse the machine repeatedly until the cheese is the right consistency.
Use a Mandoline
You can use a mandoline for cheeses that are firmer. Install the grater attachment on the mandoline. Place the cheese on top of the mandoline and secure it with the mandoline’s included guard after setting the mandoline on a strong cutting board. Guide the cheese down the mandoline until it is largely gone. Repeat the procedure as necessary with additional cheese.
Use a Microplane
The sizes of a microplane range from a zester to a grater. For softer cheeses like mozzarella or cheddar, use the grater size; for hard cheeses like Parmesan, use any of the lesser sizes. Grate your preferred cheese over a cutting board to produce a cheese pile. Alternately, you can grate directly into your dish by holding the microplane directly over it.
Use a Vegetable Peeler
Using a vegetable peeler to grate cheese results in various cheese slices or shreds, depending on how you use it. To prevent cheese from sticking to the vegetable peeler, especially when shredding mozzarella or other soft cheeses, spray it with cooking oil. To simulate the action of a shredder, run the vegetable peeler over a corner of the cheese. As an alternative, you can use a bigger area of the peeler to cut fine slices, just like you would with a sharp knife. Shreds should be short and created quickly.