Blueberry Risotto Fritters with Blueberry-Ginger Sauce

YIELD: 6 servings

Fritters:
3/4 cup Arborio rice
salt as needed
1 cup milk
1 envelope yeast, dry (1/4 oz.)
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour, unsifted
sugar, as needed
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Spice mix:
1/4 tsp. cinnamon, ground
1/16 tsp. cardamom, ground

Vegetable oil, as needed

Blueberry ginger sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsps. fresh ginger, peeled, grated
4 cups fresh blueberries
Vanilla ice cream or gelato, as needed

1. FOR THE RICE: In a small pan over high heat, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in rice and 1/8 tsp. salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain rice and set aside to cool.
2. FOR FRITTER BATTER: While the rice is cooking, in a small pan over low heat, heat the milk until bubbles form at the edge. Set aside to cool to 100°-110° F.
3. When the milk has cooled, sprinkle yeast over milk and allow to soften for 5 minutes, then whisk until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt; add yeast mixture and stir until smooth. Fold in rice and the 1/2 cup of blueberries, cover, and set aside in a warm place until mixture doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
5. FOR THE SPICE MIX: Combine 1/2 cup sugar with the cinnamon, cardamom, and 1/16 tsp. salt; set aside for dusting fritters.
6. FOR THE SAUCE: In a small pan over high heat, stir together 2/3 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and fresh ginger; bring to a boil and cook 1 minute.
7. Place fresh blueberries in a large bowl and pour the hot ginger syrup over, stirring to combine; set aside.
8. TO FINISH: Just before serving, in a medium pan, over medium-high heat, bring 3 inches vegetable oil to 375°F. Make fritters by dropping 3 to 5 heaping tablespoons of the dough at a time into the hot oil and fry until golden on one side. Turn fritters and fry until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes in all. Remove fritters to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain. Repeat with remaining dough to make about 30 fritters.
9. TO SERVE: Toss warm fritters in the sugar and spice mixture. Arrange 4 fritters on a dessert plate. Place another fritter on top of them. Add a scoop of ice cream and top with Blueberry Ginger Sauce.

Recipe and photo submitted by the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council