Risotto & Risotto Cakes

Vegetable Risotto (Photo: Margarita Persico)

A neighbor invited us for dinner last December and made the most wonderful Risotto balls and cakes. I meant to ask her for the recipe, but forgot. So I made my own, though a different version inspired by my neighbor’s rice cakes. Tonight I made the risotto and risotto cakes with saffron. Risotto cakes are great to make from left over risotto. But I love them too much to wait for leftovers, so I made fresh risotto just for the risotto cake. Below is the recipe. Enjoy!

Margarita Persico

Ingredients for Risotto

• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup chopped red onion (optional)
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/3 cup dry white wine  (optional)
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon saffron (instead of paprika) add to stock
• or 1/2 teaspoon paprika (instead of saffron)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or thyme
• 1/2 cup grated Italian cheese such as Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Note: Add the vegetables of your choice if you will not be making the risotto cakes (optional)

Ingredients for Cakes

• 1 extra-large eggs
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) — 1 cup all purpose flour, or for gluten-free ¼ cup of corn polenta meal and 2/4 of rice flour
• Oregano (to taste)

Instructions for Risotto

1)    In a Risotto Pot or heavy pot melt the butter and add olive oil. Sauté the onion over medium low heat until translucent.  Add the garlic, rice and toss coating the risotto. Stir-fry for a minute and add the white wine. Once the wine evaporates, add one cup of the stock of your choice (vegetable or chicken).

2)    Simmer, stirring occasionally until liquid has been infused. Add 1/4 cup of stock; stir occasionally. Repeat this step until liquid has been used. It will take the risotto approximately 20 minutes to cook. Now add the cheese and parsley or chives or thyme and stir vigorously.

3)    Turn off the heat and take pot off the burner.

4)    To speed up the cooling process put the risotto on a large pan, dish or cookie sheet. Let sit for a while.

Instructions for cakes

5)    Once the risotto has cooled off, transfer to a bowl. Add a beaten egg and mix well.

6)    In a small bowl, add flour. Season with salt, black pepper and spices you prefer.

7)    Mold rice mixture into patties (about 2 or 3 inches and 1/2 inch thick).

8)    Dip in to flour mixture in small bowl.

9)    Though traditionally fried in hot vegetable oil until golden brown on each side, I prefer to sauté in olive oil. Transfer to a dish or cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

10) Serve immediately.