Cheese Arancini

To prepare Risotto, pour a small amount of oil into a frying pan. Add onions and sweat over medium heat. In separate saucepan, heat remaining oil then add rice. Cook stirring constantly until slightly toasted; deglaze with white wine. Stir constantly over medium heat until wine is absorbed. Stir in onions. Add water in small portions, stirring constantly until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and spread on sheet pan to cool.

To prepare Arancini, preheat oven to 400°F and deep fryer to 350°F. Mix together cooled Risotto with Asiago, Scamorza and Toma cheeses, one cup flour, two eggs, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl. Scoop three-ounce balls and set aside. Prepare a breading station by placing remaining one cup flour in a shallow bowl, remaining 8 eggs, lightly beaten in shallow bowl and panko in shallow bowl. Dip each ball first in egg, then in flour and finally in panko. Cook balls in deep fryer for three to four minutes until golden brown.

To prepare Parmesan Cheese Cotton Candy, mix granulated sugar with Parmesan cheese powder and preheat cotton candy machine for 3 minutes. Start with one scoop of mix into the cotton candy machine. With a wood skewer from the middle, go around the machine to retrieve the Parmesan Cheese Cotton Candy, spinning the skewer to ensure a fluffy consistency. Once the Parmesan Cheese Cotton Candy is retrieved, place to the side.

To serve, finish cooking Arancini in preheated oven for three minutes. Place the Arancini onto the wooden skewer, followed with the Parmesan Cheese Cotton Candy at the bottom and topped with julienned Prosciutto and 1 gram of caviar.

Recipe courtesy of Jose Gutierrez, Herbs & Rye; Cleaver, Las Vegas, Nev.

Runner-Up, Il Fresco Category, Global Flavors Culinary Competition, 2022