crispy risotto cakes

Having leftovers of anything doesn't happen very often at my place. One of my favourite leftovers has got to be risotto because I can make my crispy risotto cakes. They're very easy to make and most of the preparation can be done early in the day, or even the night before as I did, and the sautéed just before dinner.

I mixed the leftover risotto with an egg, cream cheese and chives in a bowl and then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or overnight, to firm.

And when ready to cook, I shaped them into patties and coat in breadcrumbs. I like to use panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs, because they have a lighter texture than regular breadcrumbs. You should be able to find panko in a well-stocked Asian food store. I use them to make tempuras, fried pork chops, shrimps, etc...

I cooked the cakes on a hot pan with olive oil, turning them once, and cook for about three minutes on each side until the cakes are crisp and nicely browned.

The cream cheese and eggs give these cakes a delicious creamy interior, and the panko just gives them a wonderful crunchy crust. yum!

I served the cakes with a big dollop of sour cream and freshly ground black pepper.