Chive Risotto Cakes

I'm a big fan of chives. I'm a fan of the entire onion family of course, but to me the chive is just the right combo between fresh herb and onion tang to cross that bridge. Its one of my favorite additions to add life to sides such as polenta and risotto. To me, nothing tastes quite like Spring than adding a little chives and some lemon. Add in a little cheese and yogurt and you have these risotto cakes. They take awhile to chill, but include all the things a successful side should contain- flavor (but complementary to the main course), creaminess, and texture in the form of the crisp panko coating.

This is an adjusted creation of Barefoot Contessa, and are a classy and easy side for a dinner party. The mixture should chill at least three hours and preferably overnight before forming the cakes. After the first chill, you'll want to prepare them ahead up to the point of covering in panko, and then refrigerate them for at least three hours.  (Keeping them chilled is the key to them not falling apart in the pan during flipping). If you do not have three hours, you can speed it up by storing them in the freezer for 30 minutes. This also has the added benefit of allowing you to prepare this mostly ahead of your guests coming, then just finish in the pan with some olive oil and serve around the time the meat comes out of the oven.

You can prepare your own Greek Yogurt for this recipe, or just buy it ready-made. We have also substituted fontal cheese (a slightly cheaper version of Italian Fontina Cheese) when available. A word on Fontina: this is a recipe where some really excellent Fontina will go a long way. We've certainly made it with cheaper domestic Fontina that can be found at the local Harris Teeter, but getting the pricier stuff does pay off in this recipe. The other side of that is that depending on what brand of Fontina you purchase, you might have different salt-content in the cheese, so be sure and try your cheese before dumping a bunch of salt into the rice. This dish can get too salty, so a gentle hand is in order.

Ingredients

Kosher salt

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice 

1/2 cup Greek yogurt 

2 extra-large eggs 

6 tablespoons minced fresh chives

1 pressed garlic clove (optional) 

1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5-6 ounces) 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) 

olive oil

Directions

1. Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil over medium-low heat and add 1 1/2 teaspoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until completely cool to touch. Drain well.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, salt to taste, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours, until firm.
4.  After chilling, spread the panko in a shallow dish. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard (2 1/4-inch) ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat both sides.
5. Place on a plate and chill in refrigerator for three hours. If you need to speed the process, sometime can be spent in the freezer but do not freeze all the way through. The cakes should be chilled and firm. If you are chilling for an extended period of time (you can leave the patties for up to 24 hours), you may want to hold off on adding the panko until you are ready to cook.
6.  When ready to serve, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 4-5 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. Makes 8 cakes or 4 generous side portions.


Total Cook Time: 6-24 hours, 1 hour cooking time, 6 hours plus inactive time