Thursday, November 20, 2008

BB Bonus Recipe: Chive Risotto Cakes

Deb of Kahakai Kitchen won the prize for referring the most people to Barefoot Bloggers last month. That means Deb got to choose the bonus recipe for November. Isn't she lucky? Deb chose Chive Risotto Cakes from the new book Back to Basics. Deb must have been reading my mind. I have a ton of Arborio left over from when we made Butternut Squash Risotto and while I definitely want to try another risotto, this was a really fun way of using some of the rice. This recipe is easily halved and I used non-fat Greek yogurt, not really in an attempt to lighten it up, but more because it's what I had on hand. This past weekend, Raul and I made our weekly trip to the farmers market. We chatted with the salad guys a little longer than normal which could be why I got my chives for FREE! Love those guys! A note about this recipe. Make sure you cool the mixture for at least the recommended two hours. Impatient me was starving and I only gave it an hour to chill. They still turned out great, but it was a bitch to keep these together. The first few fell apart until I got the hang of it. I kept refrigerating the mixture between batches. That said, these little cakes are quite simply amazing. Does anyone know of any Ina recipes that don't work? This was an optional recipe so not all of the other Barefoot Bloggers made it, but to see if they did or not, click here.

Chive Risotto Cakes
(Adapted from Ina Garten)

Makes about 12 cakes

Kosher salt
1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
3/4 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Panko
Extra-virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, egg, chives, Fontina, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using an ice cream scoop or large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3/4 inch thick. Place 4-6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cooking. turning once, for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary until all the cakes are fried. Serve hot.

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18 comments:

Erica said...

yayy for free chives! I love your honesty about not waiting the required two hours haha. Oh recipes-don't they know when we're hungry ;)

Deb in Hawaii said...

Great job on your cakes! Waiting overnight did help them stay together. I made the mix after dinner one night and then fried them the next day so as not to be tempted--but I wanted to start them so bad! They were yummy!

Unknown said...

Mmmm, i've been meaning to try this with leftover risotto!

Mary Ann said...

Were these not amazing? I loved them! They look great!

Andrea said...

Those look soooo good! I love chives, nice. I also love recipes that much such great use of leftovers, turning them into an entirely different dish rather than just forcing you to eat the same thing for days at a time!

The Blonde Duck said...

They're so cute!

But I still like the mac and cheese. :)

Suzie said...

Weren't they lovely? My first few fell apart too. When I make it again, there will definitely be the overnight rest in the fridge for the mixture!

Terry at Blue Kitchen said...

You know, Esi, normally when I see the word risotto, I run screaming from the room. Don't know why, but I suspect it's all the constant stirring and adding liquid a little at a time... But this sounds totally doable. Totally delicious too!

Diana said...

What a fun way to use up risotto! I always love arancini apps in restaurants -- especially when they are stuffed with cheese! :)

NKP said...

That's the great thing about Ina's recipes, they are all great! The chive risotto cakes look delish, glad you loved them too. :)

vanillasugarblog said...

oh those would go great with morning eggs and a bit of hollandase sauce. Mmmmmm!

Heather said...

yum!!! a risotto cake sounds like heaven! i'm trying this immediately!

Reeni said...

These look fabulous! A great way to use up leftover rice and get two meals out of one.

Summer said...

Beautiful picture! One of mine fell apart as well and I refrigerated them all night but they were still delicious.

Alicia Foodycat said...

They sound excellent! Maybe for breakfast with some crispy bacon?

Anonymous said...

Man, I MUST ask Santa for that cookbook - I've seen so many wonderful creations from it! These look so good - even better with free chives :-)

Paula said...

I've got to give more attention to Ina! This recipe looks terrific. It's good to know that the wait time makes a difference. Love this!

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