Sage Onion Wild Rice Risotto Cakes Recipes

SAGE, ONION & WILD RICE RISOTTO CAKES

Steps:

• Make wild-rice risotto:.
• Bring water with salt to a boil in a heavy saucepan, then simmer wild rice, covered, until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand in cooking liquid, uncovered, 30 minutes. Drain rice in a sieve set over a saucepan and reserve rice. Add vegetable stock to cooking liquid and bring to a simmer. Keep liquid hot, covered, over low heat.
• Heat butter and oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté sage, stirring, 1 minute. Add onions and sauté, stirring, until softened. Stir in celery with salt to taste and sauté, stirring, until onions begin to turn golden brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in Arborio rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add wine, thyme, and pepper to taste and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed. Stir in 1 cup hot broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, and simmering, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender but still al dente and creamy-looking and liquid is absorbed, 20 to 22 minutes. Toward end of cooking, stir in wild rice.
• Remove pot from heat and stir in Parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Cool risotto and chill, covered, at least 4 hours and up to 12. Bring risotto to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.
• Make risotto cakes:.
• Lightly beat yolks and stir into risotto. Beat whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Stir half of whites into risotto to lighten slightly and fold in remaining whites. Let batter stand at room temperature 15 minutes before proceeding.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Scoop 4 (rounded 1/4-cup) mounds of batter into skillet, flattening with back of a spoon to form cakes 3 inches across by 1/2 inch thick. Cook cakes until golden brown on underside (this is critical to prevent cakes from breaking when turning), adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 5 minutes. Carefully turn cakes over with a metal spatula and cook until golden brown on underside, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer as browned to a large shallow baking pan and arrange in one layer. Make more cakes in same manner, wiping skillet clean with paper towels between batches and adding more oil as necessary.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Just before serving, bake risotto cakes until sizzling, about 6 minutes. Serve immediately.

SAGE AND ONION SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 230C/Gas 8/fan oven 210C. Brown the duck bits in the oven for about 30 minutes. Transfer to a stockpot. Discard the fat and place the tin over a medium-high flame. Pour in the Marsala and 200ml/7fl oz cold water, bring to the boil and scrape any stuck-on bits into the liquid. Boil for 2 minutes then scrape everything into the stockpot.
• Add 2.25 litres/4 pints cold water to the pot and bring to the boil over a medium heat, uncovered. Scoop off any scum, then add the vegetables and herbs. Bring back to the boil, de-scum again.
• Now very gently simmer for 2 hours, adding cold water if the liquid falls below the level of the bones. Remove from the heat and drain through muslin-lined colander (or use a clean tea towel) into a heatproof bowl. Cool, then refrigerate until jellied.
• Heat the butter and oil in a large, nonstick frying pan over a low-medium heat, then tip in the onions. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meltingly soft. Turn heat to high, add the Marsala and boil for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until onions are syrupy. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, remove the solidified fat from the stock and discard. Boil the stock in a saucepan, uncovered, until reduced to 500ml/18fl oz. Add the white wine and boil for 10 minutes, uncovered. Add the onions and sage and bring back to the boil. (Prepare in advance up to this point.)
• To finish the sauce, pour in the cream and boil furiously for 4-5 minutes, season to taste. Serve in a warmed jug.

RISOTTO WITH WILD RICE

Steps:

• Bring one-and-one-fourth cups of the stock to a boil in a small saucepan, add the wild rice, cover tightly and allow to cook until the rice is tender and nearly all the liquid has been absorbed, about 40 minutes.
• While the wild rice is cooking, heat the butter or oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and cook slowly until tender but not brown. Add the arborio rice and stir well.
• Begin adding the remaining stock, half a cup at a time, stirring constantly and adding more stock as each portion is absorbed by the rice. After 20 to 25 minutes all the stock should have been added and the rice should be just tender. Remove from heat.
• When the wild rice has finished cooking, fold it in along with any liquid remaining in the pan. Gently reheat the risotto if necessary, season to taste and serve at once with Parmesan cheese.