Fresh Mango and Lobster Arancini with Charred Mango-Tomato Dipping Sauce

From: Chef Dave Woolley. Yield: 10 1½” balls (about 1½ oz. each).

Fresh Mango & Lobster Arancini:
4½ cups chicken, seafood or vegetable stock
1½ cups arborio rice, toasted
3 large eggs
½ cup finely chopped ripe fresh mango, not minced
½ cup finely chopped cooked lobster meat
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup shredded fontina cheese
¾ cup breadcrumbs, divided
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley for garnish
as needed, kosher salt
as needed, charred mango-tomato dipping sauce (recipe follows)

Charred Mango-Tomato Dipping Sauce (yields 2 cups):
1 garlic bulb
1 lb. oven-roasted tomatoes
1¼ fresh mango chunks (instructions to follow), to yield 2 lb. caramelized mango chunks
1 small red bell pepper
1 oz. white balsamic glaze
1 oz. extra virgin olive oil
5 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
2 to 3 basil leaves
to taste, salt and pepper

For arancini: Bring broth and ¼ tsp. salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in toasted arborio rice; reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.  Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool completely.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl; stir in the cooled rice, fresh mango, lobster, Parmesan, fontina and 1/3 cup breadcrumbs. Season mixture with salt, to taste. Shape the mixture into 10 1½” balls.

Place remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and roll the balls in breadcrumbs. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight. If refrigerating overnight, roll them in additional breadcrumbs before frying.

In a 350°F fryer, working in batches, fry the rice balls, turning, until they’re golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels; season with salt.

To caramelize mango chunks: Arrange mango chunks on two baking sheets and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Strip 5 to 6 small stems of thyme for each pan and sprinkle over the mango chunks. Roast at 350°F for 1 hour or until well-slumped and caramelized. Scrape burnt edges from sheet pans and mix into caramelized mangos.

For charred mango-tomato dipping sauce: Preheat oven to 400°F. Drizzle a little olive oil over the garlic bulb and wrap tightly in a foil pouch. Roast 30-40 minutes until golden and very soft. When cool, squeeze garlic cloves from their skins; reserve.

Char red bell pepper over an open flame on a stovetop or under a broiler until the skin is evenly blackened and papery at the edges. Place in a bowl, cover and cool. Peel and seed peppers. Working in batches, if necessary, place half of the roasted garlic cloves, roasted tomatoes, caramelized mango chunks, roasted red bell pepper, white balsamic glaze and fresh basil in a high-powered blender or food processor. Puree only until slightly chunky. Repeat with second half of ingredients. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Transfer to a pot and simmer to serve warm.

To serve: Plate fresh mango and lobster arancini with a ramekin of dipping sauce. Garnish with remaining Parmesan and chopped parsley.