Risotto Cakes

I tried a Barefoot Contessa recipe for dinner last night. I saw it on one of her recent shows. The risotto cakes were pretty simple. And quite good. I served them as a main dish. They would probably be better paired with some kind of protein. I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand, so I improvised with what I had. I used basil instead of chives. I used plain yogurt instead of greek yogurt. And I used parmesan and gouda cheese instead of fontina. You could do lots of different variations on this. They didn't hold their shape as well as I would have liked. But from other reviews of the recipe that is pretty common. Only one really fell apart. And that's because it slid off the spatula when I was trying to flip it. It helped to cook them longer on the first side (she says 3 min.), maybe 6 min. or so. Then it gets a good crust and hold together. You definitely have to plan ahead for these since the rice mixture has to set for a while. I made the rice the night before and added the other ingredients the next morning. I only made a half recipe and got 8 cakes out of it. I'll post the original recipe and my mods.

Chive Risotto Cakes

Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used plain yogurt)
2 extra-large eggs (I just used large)
3 Tbsp. minced fresh chives (I used basil and added some salt and garlic powder)
1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces) (I used parmesan and gouda)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Good olive oil

Bring a large (4-quart) pot of water to a boil over medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon 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 cool. Drain well.

Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled 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 F. Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. 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. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes (I'd recommend 6 min.) 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. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.

I served them with peas and roasted cheddar cauliflower. I just wanted to post a pic of the cauliflower. I've never had this variety before. It doesn't taste a lot different, but I don't think it's as sweet. I like regular better.