Lemon and Herb Risotto Cake

Risotto….. Just the name alone conjures up images of silky, smooth and creamy Arborio Rice as the backdrop to a fabulous and decadent main dish and I mean seriously who does not like Risotto…… except for my daughter who says that “rice should not be creamy”. Oh well you can’t have everything.

This particular recipe comes to us from a book that quite frankly I had forgotten that I even had…… did I mention that I have somewhere round 80 cookbooks?…… and it is dedicated to nothing but RISOTTO and it contains 75 different variations of this wonderful dish.

Now I have to admit that the thought of making a Risotto cake never entered my mind…. a main dish or even Arancini most certainly…. but never a cake and as such I have not made this one nor have I ever tried it but I am sure it will be a monstrous hit.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

• 1 Small Leek – finely sliced
• 2 1/2 cups Chicken stock
• 1 cup Arborio rice or other Risotto rice
• Grated rind of one Lemon
• 2 Tbsp snipped fresh Chives
• 2 Tbsp chopped Parsley
• 3/4 cup grated Mozzarella
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Putting it all together:

1. Preheat oven to 400° and lightly oil a 8 1/2 inch round cake pan
2. Put the leek in a large pan with 3 Tbsp of stock.
3. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until softened. Stir in the rice and the remaining stock
4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer gently, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes
5. Stir in the lemon rind, herbs, cheese and seasoning.
6. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Let stand for 5 minutes then turn out and slice.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”.

Until next time………..

                          Bon Appetit