Risotto Cakes

These risotto cakes are made from Arborio rice is an Italian medium-grain rice named after the town of Arborio in the Piedmont region's Po Valley, and is high in starch, making it very creamy and ideal for risotto and risotto cakes.

Classically, Ayurvedic texts classify mushrooms as tamasic, meaning they can dull the mind or promote heaviness and sleepiness. However, they are generally okay to use in moderation in Ayurveda when prepared correctly by sautéing them with warming spices like pepper, ginger, or cumin to offset their heavy, damp qualities, and medicinally, mushrooms can be very effective for their nutritive and immune-supporting benefits. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Arborio rice (rinsed and drained)

• 2 cups warm vegetable or mushroom broth

• 1.5 cups diced ¼” chopped wild or shiitake mushrooms

• 1 tablespoon ghee or olive oil

• 1 small shallot or leek, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme

• Mineral salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee (for pan-frying the cakes)

• ¼ cup Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1)   Clean and dice the mushrooms, then sauté them in a separate pan in ghee or oil until tender, seasoning with thyme, salt, and pepper; remove from heat and set aside.

2)  Heat the cooking fat in a heavy pan over medium heat; add the shallot and garlic and sauté until soft, then add the Arborio rice and toast for 2 minutes. Slowly start adding the warm broth a ladle at a time, stirring until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy; the consistency will become sticky, not runny.

3)  Fold in half the mushrooms and the Reggiano cheese; combine.

4)  Spread the mushroom-risotto mixture onto a baking sheet and refrigerate until completely cool and firm, then form it into small, dense cakes.

5)   In a separate pan, heat oil over medium heat and brown the cakes for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until a golden, crispy crust forms.