Fontina Risotto Cakes

3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Arborio rice
¼ cup dry white wine
6 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

1 ½ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
½ cup (packed) coarsely grated Fontina cheese (about 2 oz. before grating)
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1 large egg yolk

2 large eggs
Canola oil (for frying)

Additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh chives for garnish

Step One

Bring 3 cups broth to simmer in small saucepan. Reduce heat to very low; cover and keep warm. Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add broth, 1/3 cup at a time, and simmer until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more, and stirring often, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in 6 Tbsp. parmesan and butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread risotto in 13x9x2-inch pan and cool completely.

Step Two

Mix ½ cup panko, Fontina cheese, parsley, chopped chives, and 1 egg yolk into risotto. Shape into 1 ¼ inch balls; flatten to 2-inch rounds. Arrange on rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Step Three

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Set another rimmed baking sheet in oven. Beat 2 eggs in shallow bowl to blend. Place 1 cup panko in another shallow bowl. Dip risotto cakes into beaten egg, then into panko to coat. Pour enough canola oil into large skillet to coat bottom (not deep, though); heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté risotto cakes until crisp and brown, about 2 ½ minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet in oven. Serve risotto cakes sprinkled with cheese and garnished with chives.

Makes 1 dozen

Notes:

Cooking the risotto takes much longer than the original recipe indicates. More like an hour than 20 minutes! I ran out of broth before the rice was finished cooking, so I used some more wine (about 1/2 cup).

I usually use a chardonnay wine.

Looking at the photograph here, I realize mine are much flatter and, thus, larger. Either way, they taste great!

Original recipe from Bon Appetit December 2004