I recently had an outstanding meal in Richmond, VA. My appetizers were the stars, and the flavors of the simple but perfectly executed arancini have stayed on the tip of my tongue since. Orbs of Manchego, rosemary and creamy rice were fried to a light, greaseless crisp and perched atop fig compote and adorned with pea tendrils. Each bite was breathtaking. As such, I simply had to recreate. 
Because I don't love to fry at home and because I wanted more of an entree than appetizer, I decided on risotto; after all, the primary ingredient -rice- is the same.