Risotto Cakes

I saw Ina Garten make risotto cakes on her show and I knew I had a big container of untouched risotto in my cabinet so I decided to give these a try.  I didn't follow Ina's recipe but I loved the addtion of fresh chives (my favorite herb).  The only annoying thing about making these is that you need to let the risotto chill in the refrigerator overnight.  I think this is a really important step so unless you have left over risotto from the night before this isn't something you can just whip up on a whim.  But if you have time to plan this is a really yummy recipe.  It's great for lunch or a light dinner or I'm thinking about making them as a side for brunch one day.

Ingredients:

1 cup aborio rice, uncooked

1/2 cup of chopped onions

3 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons of fresh chives, chopped

Plain Panko bread crumbs

Preparation:

To make the risotto first heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet.  Add chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes until translucent.  Next add the dry aborio rice and sautee with the onions for a few minutes.  After liquid is absorbed add another 1/2 cup of stock and repeat until all 3 cups of stock is used up and the rice is tender.  Remove from heat and place risotto in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Once risotto is chilled add eggs, salt and chives to risotto and mix to combine.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Place panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.  Begin to make patties with about 1/3 cup of risotto mixture using your hands.  Coat risotto patty in bread crumbs and cook in oil over med/hi heat until golden brown on both sides.  Drain on paper towel to soak up excess oil and sprinkle with additional salt if desired.  You can keep risotto cakes warm in a low oven (250 degrees F.) until ready to serve.  Serve hot  with a side salad for lunch or use risotto cakes as a side dish for any meal.