Well, it's been known to happen, but I usually end up overcooking it. To make up for my shameful failures, I am pretty good at turning a bowl of leftover (sometimes mushy) risotto into crispy rice cakes.
Smoked salmon and peas risotto cakes served with a peppery mesclun dressed with a simple lemon-honey dressing.
These rice cakes couldn't be easier to make. Just take about 2 ½ to 3 cups cold, leftover risotto and add 1 egg to bind it all together. Form into paddies (they'll be sticky!) and drop them into a frying pan with enough oil for shallow frying. The trick to keeping the cakes from falling apart is to get a nice crust before flipping them. People have a tendency to want to move things around in the pan. If I've just described you, simply walk away as they are cooking. I gave my patties about 4 or 5 uninterrupted minutes on each side (over medium heat). Once they are done, remove them to a rack until you're ready to serve (or keep warm in a low oven if necessary).
Serve warm.
Related posts: Homemade smoked salmon
