Dreaming in Meta

homecooksuperstar:

This was another new snack I served on Sunday. The cheese was good (I mean who doesn’t like fried cheese). BUT the spicy tomato chutney was so delicious. It was so tangy and the perfect accompaniment to the cheese. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to use the leftover chutney at tonight’s dinner.

NOTE: Start this recipe at least 3 hours before serving!

Ingredients

• 16 (1-inch diameter) balls bocconcini mozzarella
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups seasoned Italian-style bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Directions

Drain the bocconcini and pat dry with paper towels. Put on a paper towel-lined plate and allow to dry in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

While the bocconcini are chilling, combine the garlic, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon salt, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, cumin and pepper into a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add the tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 45 to 55 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, gently break up the tomatoes as they begin to soften during cooking. Season with salt, to taste. Let the chutney cool to room temperature, about 35 minutes and then place in a serving bowl.

Once the two hours of chilling is complete, put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Whisk the eggs in a second medium bowl and the bread crumbs in a third medium bowl.

Coat the bocconcini assembly line style in this order: flour -> eggs -> breadcrumbs -> eggs ->breadcrumbs. Make sure they are well coated and no cheese is visible and freeze the breaded bocconcini for 20 minutes.

While the bocconcini are freezing, pour enough oil to fill a large heavy-bottomed saucepan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F. Fry the bocconcini in batches of no more than six until golden brown, about 25-30 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Serve with chutney! (You probably want to remove the paper towel you used for draining before serving. I didn’t because I was doing too many things at once and now I’m regretting it after looking at the picture)