Buttery Rice Timbales Recipes

RICE TIMBALE (LIKE BAKED ARANCINI)

Steps:

• Oil a 5-pint casserole dish (such as a Corningware souffle dish) 8-10 inches in diameter and coat lightly with dry breadcrumbs. This will serve as your timbale mold. Put aside.
• For the meatballs, combine the beef, soft breadcrumbs, 2 1/2 tablespoons parmesan, parsley, 1 egg, salt and pepper in a bowl (add a minced clove of garlic, if desired). Mix thoroughly to achieve a medium-soft consistency. Add a second egg if the mixture is too dry.
• Form meatballs the size of a large cherry and fry in 2 tablespoons of oil until lightly brown (alternatively, bake in the oven at 350°F for 15 minutes).
• Simmer 1 1/4 cups of the sauce in a pot, drop in the meatballs, and simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.
• For the pea filling, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan and add the bacon, the peas, a pinch of salt, and 1/4 cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add the sausage meat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the sausage changes color.
• Stir in the chicken livers and the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and set aside.
• For the rice mixture and assembly, preheat the oven to 375°F Bring the beef stock and 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce to a boil in an ovenproof casserole, stir in the rice, cover and bake for 10 minutes.
• When it comes out of the oven the rice will be underdone and very moist. Stir in 3/4 cup parmesan, 2 well-beaten eggs, and some freshly-ground pepper. Mix thoroughly.
• Spoon 3/4 of the rice mixture into the prepared timbale mold, pressing firmly against the sides and bottom, leaving a hollow in the center.
• Cover the bottom of the hollow with half the mozzarella, then half the ham. Add the pea mixture, then the meatballs with their sauce, the mushrooms (here you could use sauteed cultivated mushrooms; it is more authentically Italian to use dried porcini mushrooms), and finally the remaining mozzarella and ham.
• Cover with the remaining rice, sprinkle the top with dry breadcrumbs and dot with butter.
• Bake in the oven at 375°F for one hour or until a golden crust forms. Remove from oven and let settle for 10 minutes, then unmold on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO TIMBALE

Steps:

• For the risotto: Heat the stock with 1 1/2 cups water and the saffron and keep warm. Heat 2 turns of the pan EVOO in a pot and cook the pancetta to render, 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and onions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, and then add the rice and toast 1 minute. Pour in the wine and cook until evaporated, then begin adding the warm saffron liquid a few ladlefuls at a time, stirring frequently to develop the starches. The risotto will take exactly 18 minutes time from first addition of liquids. Stir in the cheese and butter and remove from the heat. For the meat and mushroom filling: Heat the stock in a small pot along with the mushrooms, and chop once reconstituted (keep the liquid). Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet and cook the onions to a light caramel color, then transfer to a plate. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, raise the heat slightly and stir in the chicken livers. Sprinkle with the thyme, some salt and pepper and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the sherry and transfer the livers to a plate. Pour the EVOO into the center of the skillet. Once the oil is hot, brown the beef and sausage, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Return the onions and livers to the skillet along with the tomato paste, mushrooms and mushroom soaking liquid. Simmer over low heat to thicken and combine the flavors, about 3 minutes. To assemble: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the mozzarella, peas, basil and tomatoes in a small bowl. Grease a baking mold or ovenproof bowl with butter and dust with breadcrumbs. Fill the mold evenly with half of the risotto and top with the meat sauce. Create a small well in the center, and fill with the mozzarella, peas and tomatoes. Layer the rest of the risotto on top and smooth the surface. Dot the top with butter and remaining breadcrumbs. Bake 45 minutes. Let cool on a rack while in the mold 15 minutes before loosening the edges with an offset knife. Place a plate on top of the mold, invert, and serve.

RICE TIMBALES

Steps:

• Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Bring the water, olive oil, salt, and bay leaves to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice and bring the water back to a boil. Lower the heat so the water is simmering, cover the pan, and cook until the rice is al dente and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If there is still a little water left in the pan when the rice is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, covered, a minute or two, until the liquid is absorbed.)
• While the rice is cooking, butter six 8-ounce ramekins or custard cups and sprinkle the insides evenly with bread crumbs. Bring a kettle of water to a boil, then keep it hot over low heat.
• Remove the rice from the heat and beat in 4 tablespoons butter, the spinach, grated cheese, and chives. Divide the rice mixture among the prepared ramekins and cover each with a small square of aluminum foil.
• Set a baking pan large enough to hold the ramekins on the oven shelf. Set the ramekins in the pan, leaving some space between them, and pour in enough hot water from the kettle to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake 15 minutes.
• Remove the aluminum foil and bake until the tops of the timbales are lightly browned and feel firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and remove the ramekins from the hot-water bath. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the ramekins and, working one at a time, unmold the ramekins onto serving plates. If you have trouble freeing the timbales from one of the ramekins, leave the ramekin in place on top of the overturned timbale while unmolding another, then return to it.

PICKLED SHRIMP AND VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cook carrots in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. Place carrots in large glass bowl; add peas and chilies.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and crushed garlic cloves; sauté until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Discard garlic. Peel shrimp; add to glass bowl. Heat remaining 1/4 cup oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes; add to bowl.
• Combine 3/4 cup water, next 9 ingredients and sliced garlic in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until salt dissolves. Pour hot spice mixture over shrimp mixture and stir to blend well. Let stand 2 hours. Chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day, stirring occasionally.
• Arrange 4 shrimp and some vegetables on each plate. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs, if desired, and serve.

JASMINE RICE TIMBALES WITH BLACK AND WHITE SESAME SEEDS

Steps:

• Combine rice, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 1/2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, stirring once, about 15 minutes.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, chives and sesame seeds to rice. Fluff with fork. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff rice again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Brush six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups with remaining 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Divide rice among dishes. Pack rice tightly into dishes. Turn timbales out onto plates and serve.

CUMIN-SCENTED RICE TIMBALES

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan cook the onion, 1 teaspoon of the cuminseed, and the red pepper flakes in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add the rice, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, 1 cup water, and the salt, bring the liquid to a boil, and cook the mixture, covered, over low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the parsley, and let the rice stand, covered off the heat for 5 minutes. Pack the rice into 4 lightly coiled 3/4-cup timbale molds, unmold the timbales, and sprinkle the additional cuminseed on top of them.

SAUSAGE-AND-RICE TIMBALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rice, reduce the heat and simmer, stirring once or twice, until the rice is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, shaking the colander to remove any excess water. Spread the rice on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Tear the basil and add to the skillet along with the garlic and tomato paste. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste browns, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Coat the pan with the breadcrumbs, tapping to remove any excess. Put the eggs and all but 3 tablespoons of the pecorino cheese in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Put the cooled rice in a bowl; add the egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Transfer about two-thirds of the rice mixture to the prepared springform pan. Using moist fingers, pat the rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan, forming a 1/2-inch-thick layer. Place the provolone slices over the rice in the pan. Spoon about three-quarters of the sausage filling over the provolone, filling it to 1/2 inch from the top. Pat the remaining rice mixture on top to enclose the filling, then sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons pecorino cheese. Put the pan on the hot baking sheet and bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Run a small knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the timbale, then remove the side of the pan. Slide a spatula under the timbale and transfer it to a platter. Thin the remaining sausage filling with a splash of water and reheat. Serve with the timbale.