Ina's Chive Risotto Cakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I finally got around to giving this Ina Garten recipe a try. It has been around for a while now, but for one reason or another, it has not been widely circulated on food blogs. Because the cakes are so delicious, I thought those of you who have not yet tried them might also be interested in the recipe. If you are looking for a side dish that you can use as a substitute for potatoes, you need look no further. These are wonderful. They must be mixed several hours before they can be fried and they should be eaten as soon as they come from the skillet, but they are so good you will consider those constraints a minor irritation. I served these rice cakes for brunch today and they were really well-received. They are also wonderful with plained grilled meat and poultry. I know that those of you who try the cakes will enjoy them. Here is Ina's recipe.

Chive Risotto Cakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
Good olive oil

Directions:
1) 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.
2) 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.
3) When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
4) 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 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. Yield: 6 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Oatmeal Chocolate Chippers

Two Years Ago Today: Chocolate Cake

Three Years Ago Today: Stuffed Eggplant

Four Years Ago Today: Caramelized Pear and Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Savory Cheese and Chive Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was given a copy of Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table earlier this summer. As soon as it arrived, I curled up on the sofa, and like a child paging through a Christmas catalogue, marked my favorites and plotted the order in which my choices would be tried. The bread I am featuring tonight was on that list. The photo that accompanied the recipe was gorgeous and highlighted a deep gold pebbly crust that was unique and gave the bread an irresistible, come-hither air. I was finally able to make the bread today and I am generally pleased with the result. The bread, which is delicious, does, indeed, have gorgeous color and its aroma will make stomachs start to growl as it wafts through the kitchen and adjoining rooms. I couldn't wait for it to cool enough to slice. It's meant to be served as an appetizer and its cheesy goodness makes it perfect to serve with drinks at an informal gathering. I let the bread sit for 45 minutes before I had my first bite. It had wonderful flavor, but I was unhappy with the appearance of the sliced bread. The surface had holes and tunnels that are usually an indication that a dough has been over-mixed. I knew that was not the case, so I did a search to find other photos of the bread and see what others had come up with. As it turns out, my results were not unique. Most of the breads I found had the same holes and tunnels, so it is probably safe to say they are a characteristic of this bread, probably caused by slow melting cheese. I will, however, give the recipe another try in an attempt to produce a more finely grained loaf. I'll keep you posted if the results are significantly different. I think those of you who try the bread will really like it. It is easy to do and makes an unusual cocktail appetizer. Here's how it is made.

Savory Cheese and Chive Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients:
Unsalted butter, for greasing the pan
1-3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (depending on what cheese you're using)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper (may substitute a pinch of cayenne pepper)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 generous cup (about 4 ounces) coarsely grated Gruyere, Comte Emmental or cheddar cheese
2 ounces Gruyere, Comte, Emmental or cheddar cut into very small cubes (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
1 bunch chives, minced (1/2 cup; may substitute thinly sliced scallions)
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted

Directions:
1) Position a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Use butter to grease an 8 x 4-1/2 x 2-3/4-inch loaf pan, preferably Pyrex.
2) Whisk flour, baking powder, salt to taste and pepper together in a large bowl.
3) Whisk eggs in a medium bowl for 1 minute, until foamy, then whisk in milk and oil.
4) Pour egg mixture into flour mixture; use a sturdy flexible spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix together until moistened, then stir in grated and cubed cheese, chives and walnuts to form a thick dough. Transfer to loaf pan and spread to make dough even on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until bread is golden and a slender knife inserted into center comes out clean.
5) Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 3 minutes, then run a round-edged knife along edges of pan to loosen loaf. Turn it out and cool right side up before cutting and serving. Yield: 1 loaf.

One Year Ago Today: Stove-Top Barbecued Chicken "Ribs"

Two Years Ago Today: Schnecken

Fast, Fresh and Figure Friendly Summer Vegetable Crepes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Before I get to today's recipe I wanted to note the passing of Nora Ephron, a wise, witty and intelligent woman who was the creative force that brought the movie Julie and Julia to life. Nora was a champion of women, and rather than search for words to honor her, I thought I'd use some of her own words to capture the sense of who she was. She will be missed.

Speaking at a commencement exercise: "Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady," Ephron told Wellesley's Class of 1996 in a commencement speech. "I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women."

When asked about mortality: "You do get to a certain point in life where you have to realistically, I think, understand that the days are getting shorter, and you can't put things off thinking you'll get to them someday. If you really want to do them, you better do them. There are simply too many people getting sick, and sooner or later you will too. So I'm very much a believer in knowing what it is that you love doing so you can do a great deal of it."

Today's recipe is for an unusual crêpe that uses summer vegetables and herbs. They are served cold, and are very easy to prepare, especially if you use the "ready-to-use" crêpes that can be found in the grocery store. They are also figure friendly and manage to cut calories without sacrificing flavor. The recipe was first published in Eating Well magazine and you can find nutritional information for them here. I think those of you who try these will really be pleased. Here's the recipe.

Vegetable Crepes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:

Sauce

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

Filling

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1-1/4 cups chopped green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2) To make filling: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, remaining 1/4 cup chives, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3) To make crepes: Place one crêpe on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on piece of plastic separating crêpes in package). Spoon one-fourth of vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down center of crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll crêpe around filling. Place crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: Ready-to-use” crèpes are fast and convenient. Look for them in the produce section of the market or near refrigerated tortillas.

One Year Ago Today: Blueberry Cream Squares

Two Years Ago Today: Baba Ganoush

Three Years Ago Today: Blue Corn Muffins