La Belle Sorelle restaurant makes AH-Mazing Arancini that is both vegan and uses our Sundried Tomato & Basil cashew cheese. These crispy, golden little nuggets are fantastic as an appetizer or as a main course. You will definitely impress your dinner guests with this delicious comfort food recipe.

Ingredients:

Risotto:

• 3 tbsp. canola oil

• 4 finely diced shallots

• 8 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup. white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)

• 2 cups. arborio rice

• 4 ½ cups vegetable stock

• ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp. dried parsley

• 2 tsp. dried basil

• 2 tsp. garlic powder

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 5/6 fresh basil leaves (or more)

• Zest of ½ a lemon

• 1 tsp. nutritional yeast (optional)

• 150g. Fauxmagerie Zengarry Sundried Tomato & Basil cashew cheese, crumbled

• salt and pepper to taste

Coating:

• ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I prefer oat milk)

• 3 cups panko

• 1tsp. smoked paprika

• salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Bring your vegetable stock to a boil, then reduce to low-medium heat. (You can add mixed dried mushrooms to add flavor to your stock!)

2. Heat your canola oil on medium-low heat and add shallots. Sweat until translucent. Season with a pinch of salt. (Make sure not to get any colour of them!)

3. Add garlic to pot and stir around for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add your red pepper flakes, dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder.

5. Add Arborio rice and stir until completely covered in oil, for about 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt.

6. Turn up the heat and add wine.

7. Once wine is absorbed, lower heat to low-medium.

8. Add stock one cup at a time while continuously stirring, until all the stock has been added.

9. If rice is still a bit uncooked, add a bit of water until rice is cooked through.

10. Once done, add your fresh basil, lemon zest and crumbled Fauxmagerie Zengarry cashew cheese. (*add nutritional yeast if you desire.)

11. Spread risotto onto a cookie sheet to cool.

12. Once cooled, use a cookie scoop and roll into balls the size of a golf ball or softball.

13. Roll risotto balls in oat milk, then roll into seasoned panko. Press the panko slightly into the balls.

14. Once done, drop balls in deep fryer (340 degrees) for about 5-6 minutes. (if unsure, I pierce a toothpick into the arancini to check if the middle is warmed through.)

15. Serve with vegan pesto or your favourite tomato sauce!