Risotto cakes with a creamy mushroom sauce and chicken livers
Risotto cakes are similar to arancini but without the deep frying. Serve with a creamy mushroom sauce and chicken livers, or leave the chicken livers out if you’re not a fan.
Ingredients
For the risotto cakes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 30g/1oz butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú Arborio rice
- 125ml/4fl oz white wine
- 1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú plain flour
For the chicken livers
- 10²µ/â…“o³ú butter
- 3 chicken livers
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 200g/7oz Paris brown or chestnut mushrooms, quartered
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- splash soy sauce
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Method
To make the risotto cakes, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter in a sauté pan and fry the onion and garlic for 8 minutes. Add the thyme and bay and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Increase the heat and add the rice. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Gradually add the warm stock, stirring constantly for 15–20 minutes, until all the stock is absorbed. Stir in the Parmesan and remove from the heat.
Pour the risotto into a baking tray and place in the fridge to cool.
Once cool, shape into patties and dust in the flour.
Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry gently for 5 minutes on each side, until golden-brown and crisp.
Meanwhile, to make the chicken livers, heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming, then add the chicken livers. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Remove from the pan to rest, then thinly slice.
Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and fry for 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cream and cook until the volume has reduced by half, followed by the soy and vinegar. Finish with the parsley, thyme and sliced livers and serve the risotto cakes alongside.