Wild Mushroom Balls

Soak dried morel and porcini mushrooms in a bowl with 2 cups water.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leek; cook and stir until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add mixed sliced mushrooms and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer leek mixture to a bowl.

Heat vegetable stock in a saucepan to a low simmer.

Wipe the skillet used for the leek mixture and return to medium heat. Add remaining butter, onions, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat all the grains, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the re-hydrated mushrooms from the bowl and pour the liquid into the rice. Bring to a boil, stirring until all liquid has been absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes. Chop mushrooms and add to rice. Add the heated stock, 1 ladle at a time, stirring until almost completely absorbed after each addition, about 20 minutes total.

Stir leek mixture, mascarpone cheese, 3/4 of the Parmesan cheese, and jerk seasoning in with the rice. Stir until combined. Remove from heat and let cool until safe to handle, at least 30 minutes.

Season flour with salt and pepper and spread mixture over a plate.

Whisk eggs together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Mix remaining Parmesan cheese with panko in a dish.

Form small balls of risotto using a small ice cream scoop or by hand. Dust with flour, coat with egg, and roll in the panko mixture. Place on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Cool in the refrigerator, 8 hours to overnight.

Heat oil in a saucepan. Fry mushroom balls in batches, turning halfway until golden brown, about 4 minutes per batch.