Asparagus Arancini

Spring time is upon us, although it's been rather chilly in Chicago, spring blooms have me looking forward to warm weather and storing away my winter wardrobe (finally)! I don't know about you but warmer weather inspires me to entertain and cook things besides frozen pizza and ordering takeout!

A recent bottle of rose had me all sorts of excited and these asparagus arancini are the perfect bite to serve along side! I like the contrast that they provide. The arancini are crisp and salty, creamy and lightly citrusy on the inside. The rose is crisp, slightly sweet and perfectly acidic. This is an easy drinking wine that's slightly fruity (think strawberries and citrus) without being too sweet. It's delicate but complex and not overpowering which makes it the perfect accompaniment to these rich bites.

I made risotto the traditional way (with lemon and diced asparagus) and then poured it out onto a foil-lined baking sheet to chill in the fridge. Once cooled, I added a beaten egg, fresh parsley, and more parmesan cheese. I then rolled into 1" (or so) balls with a small scoop, and dredged in egg wash and panko bread crumbs. I rarely fry anything at home since it uses a ton of oil, it's unhealthy, and its messy! But hey, it's a new season and I need to step out of my comfort zone!

You can use any ingredients in your risotto, in fact, sun dried tomatoes, fresh peas, mushrooms, leaks, would all be delish! I also contemplated stuffing each ball with cheese but I wanted these to be a little on the slighter side...after all, I am frying these!

Back to the wine. I'm a sucker for anything pink! I've always been very girly and clearly have never grown out of it. I love crisp whites but there's something about a glass of pink wine that just makes me giddy! I've had multiple bottles of wine from Balletto Vineyards and honestly? There's no clear winner. They know how to make great wine!

Cheers to spring and the start of a new season :)

{The Balletto Rosé was given to me as a sample but the opinions on this post are my own.}