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.