How to Make Fried Risotto Cakes
Risotto makes for a delicious and elegant meal in itself, but you can also turn it into a scrumptious appetiser or side dish by whipping up a batch of fried risotto cakes. For this purpose, you can use either freshly-made risotto, or reuse leftovers, to turn them into crispy fried delicacies.
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6 servings
Utensils: Large saucepan, wooden spoon, frying pan, paper towel, bowl, serving plates
Ingredients:
Chicken stock: 4 1/2 cups
Unsalted butter: 1/4 cup
Onion, chopped: 1 medium
Arborio rice: 1 1/2 cups
White wine: 1 cup
Parmesan cheese: 1/2 cup
Scallion, chopped: 1/2 cup
Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour: 1/2 cup
Instructions
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1
Start by preparing the risotto – if you already have leftover risotto, you can skip this part, and move right on to the refrigerating. The first step is to place a large saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat, and pour in the chicken stock. Leave this to simmer, while you prepare the rice.
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2
While the stock is simmering away, put a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat, and toss in the butter. Melt it and add in the onions. Sauté them for around 5 minutes, until they become soft and translucent, then add in the rice, and stir it around until it is completely coated in the butter and onions.
Image courtesy: quick-dish.tablespoon.com
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3
Now, turn the heat up to medium-high and pour in the wine, and keep stirring for around 4 minutes, or however long it takes the rice to absorb the wine. Then, add in one cup of the simmering chicken stock, and continue to stir, until this too is absorbed by the rice. Continue adding and incorporating one cup of stock at a time, until it has all been soaked up by the rice.
Image courtesy: cookinglight.com
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4
You will know the rice is done when it is cooked through, and the sauce is creamy and light, binding the rice together. This entire process should take around 15 minutes. Take the risotto off the heat, and stir in the Parmesan cheese and scallions. Then spread the risotto onto a pan covered by a greased sheet, and slide it into the refrigerator. Keep it there for 4 hours, or even overnight, until the risotto is set and firm.
Image courtesy: well.blogs.nytimes.com
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5
Once you are ready to fry up the risotto cakes, heat some olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Scoop up small amounts of the firm risotto and shape these into small disks (around 3 x 1/2 inches). Coat them with flour, and then fry them until they become crispy and golden brown. Drain on paper towels, and serve.
Image courtesy: vanillacloudsandlemondrops.blogspot.com
