Risotto Cakes

Oh Happy Friday! This week has been a great week for Scott and I and this weekend is going to be just as great! My parents and brother are coming down to celebrate my birthday and I am so excited to see them! I’m excitedly planning the menu for a brunch on Saturday when they get here and then for supper we’re going out to eat at my favorite restaurant in town. Then, after they leave on Sunday, Scott and I are going to my boss’s house for authentic Raclette, which I haven’t had since my first night in France (believe me, that meal set the tone for the rest of my time in France and my new found love of good cheese). Then of course, there’s the Super Bowl and the parties that go along with it which presents yet another opportunity to experiment a new recipe and make something yummy! (By the way, I recommend this recipe for a Super Bowl party--it's the best carmel corn I've ever popped into my mouth.) Yes, though it will be busy, I daresay it should be quite a good weekend and I am very much looking forward to it!

In the meantime though, I wanted to quick give you this recipe just in case you would be making a certain Aged Cheddar Cheese Risotto this weekend or maybe for Valentine’s next weekend (!), and end up with some extra left over. Trust me, if you have left over risotto, any kind of risotto, not just this cheddar cheese kind, it does not work well to simply reheat and eat. It’s just not near as good! But, it can be just as good as the original, or, gasp, better if you transform it to fried risotto cakes. They are so good! Picture this: a crisp, light crunch on the outside gives way to a warm, cheesy, soft, smooth, melty, bath for your tongue. Hello! Can you say “yum!”? Ok, enough with the dramatics, I’ll get on to the recipe.

Fried Risotto Cakes

Like I said before, this works well with any kind of risotto, even a sweet dessert kind. If you’re doing this with a savory one, that does not have cheese as a main ingredient, many people stick a cube of mozzarella (or other cheese of choice) inside the risotto ball/cake so they get that wonderful melted cheese on the inside. The making of the risotto cakes is pretty quick, easy, and straight forward which is another reason why I love it. In ten minutes you can have a delicious meal or appetizer at the ready that is sure to impress. Serve with a good tomato sauce or over a salad of mixed spring greens with a balsamic vinaigrette.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a meal

2 cups refrigerated leftover risotto

2/3 cup flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup bread crumbs (I recommend Panko to get that light, crispy crunch)

Olive or canola oil for frying

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking pan with paper towels. Form the cold risotto into 2 ½ inches long and ¾ inch thick patties using wet hands. Put the four, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Coat cakes first with flour, then with egg (let excess drip off), and then with the breadcrumbs. Transfer to wax paper and repeat with the remaining cakes.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté cakes in batches, turning over once, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a paper-towel-lined baking pan and keep warm in oven. Heat more oil if needed and sauté remaining cakes in same manner.