Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto Cakes with Melting Mozzarella Middles
Added on: 12-Sep-2008 Hits: 104
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Recipe Text:

Ingredients:
25g packet Merchant Gourmet Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
100g risotto rice
1 glass white wine (175ml)
400ml hot vegetable or chicken stock
100g baby leaf spinach, washed
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp butter
1 ball buffalo mozzarella, Sliced into 8 even pieces.
1 egg, whisked
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp olive oil


HOW TO COOK IT


1. Place the mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiled water. Heat a large frying pan or risotto pan and add the chopped onions. Fry on a low heat for 5-8 mins or until softened, but colourless. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. Stir in the risotto rice and toast for a further 2 minutes. Pour over the wine and keep stirring to encourage the starch to come out and make the risotto really creamy. Add the hot stock ladle by ladle only adding more once the last ladleful has been absorbed. This is quite a slow process and the heat shouldn’t be too high, as the rice needs to absorb the liquid and not to evaporate it. On the last ladle of stock you want to ensure that the rice is oozy and a little loose but by no means liquidy. If you run out of stock then use the liquid that the mushrooms have been soaking in. The rice should be al dente and it should be a little less liquidy than regular risotto

2. Drain the mushrooms and chop. Stir in the mushrooms, spinach, Parmesan and butter. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cool for 60 mins, but overnight for best results.

3. Mould the rissoto around the mozzarella to form a ball. Squash the top and bottom to flatten out and make a small fish cake shape. Repeat 7 times. You can leave these in the fridge to set if you have time. Coat in egg and breadcrumbs. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and lay the risotto cakes in the oil. Fry for 3 – 4 mins on each side or until golden. Pay attention to the sides too. Drain on some kitchen paper and serve.