Special Diets

Blueberry Risotto Fritters with Blueberry-Ginger Sauce

• From: US Highbush Blueberry Council

Ingredients

• Fritters:1/4 cup Arborio rice

• 1/8 tsp salt (for boiling the rice)

• 1 cup milk

• 1 envelope (1/4 ounce) yeast, dry

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 Tbs sugar

• 1-1/3 cups flour, unsifted all-purpose

• 1/2 cup blueberries

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

• 1/16 tsp cardamom, ground

• 1/16 tsp salt

• 2 cups vegetable oil (as needed for frying fritters)

• Blueberry Ginger Sauce:1/2 cup sugar

• 1-1/2 Tbs fresh ginger, peeled and grated

• 4 cups blueberries

• Vanilla ice cream or gelato, as desired

Sweet blueberries entwine with tangy ginger spice in a wonderful “opposites attract” pairing.

Directions

• In a small pan over high heat, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in rice and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain rice and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a small pan over low heat, heat the milk until bubbles form at the edge. Set aside to cool to 100º to 110º F. When cooled, sprinkle yeast over milk and allow to soften for 5 minutes, then whisk until combined.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add yeast mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in rice and 1/2 cup blueberries, cover, and set aside in a warm place until mixture doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon, cardamom, and 1/16 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• Prepare the Blueberry Ginger Sauce: In a small pan over high heat, stir 2/3 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and fresh ginger; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. In a large bowl, place 4 cups fresh blueberries and pour the hot ginger syrup over and stir to combine; set aside.
• Just before serving, in a medium pan, over medium-high heat, bring 3 inches vegetable oil to 375º F. Make fritters by dropping 3 to 5 heaping tablespoons of the dough at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden on one side. Turn fritters and fry until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes in all. Remove fritters to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain. Repeat with remaining dough to make about 30 fritters.
• To serve, toss warm fritters in the sugar and spice mixture. Arrange 4 fritters on a dessert plate. Place another fritter on top of them. Add a scoop of ice cream and top with Blueberry Ginger Sauce.