Vegan Risotto Cakes

This recipe isn't low-fat or fast, but it's fun to make and really delicious... so it's worth it... right? I didn't take my own picture because I was so excited about eating it, I forgot! (I'll make it again and post a pic... I promise). In the meantime, the picture above is from the food network website.

The recipe was inspired by a couple of things... a dish I had at an Italian restaurant years ago (I've dreamed about it ever since) and some freshly picked ripe tomatoes that my sister-in-law gave me.

Buon appetito!


Risotto:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 T thyme, finely chopped
1 C Arborio rice
1/4 C chardonnay wine
lemon
salt and pepper
1 box of No-Chicken Broth, 32 oz.

Heat the broth in a pan and keep warm on the stove top. In a medium size sauce pan, add the oil and heat over medium low. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and saute until slightly softened. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the thyme and rice and stir so the rice is coated. Add the wine and stir for a few minutes until the alcohol is cooked out. Now begin adding the broth, one or two ladles at a time. Stir the rice and as the rice absorbs the broth add more. Stir constantly and repeat the process of adding more broth as needed until little or no broth is left. This process will take approximately 25 minutes. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Finally, give it a liberal squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste.


Sauce:
2 t white truffle oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 large ripe tomato, skinless, seeded and chopped
1 T tomato paste
2 t chardonnay wine
salt and pepper to taste

Warm the truffle oil in a saute pan and add the garlic. Saute only until it becomes aromatic. Add the tomato and tomato paste and cook until it pulls together and becomes slightly thickened. Add the chardonnay and cook 2 minutes more. Season to taste.


Making the cakes:
oil for frying
Panko bread crumbs


Using a 1/4 C measure, measure out the risotto and press into cake like shapes. Dip the cakes in panko bread crumbs covering completely. Heat the oil in a saute pan and lay the cakes into the oil. Cook until browned and flip over browning the other side. Serve with a small dollop of tomato sauce.