An elegant appetizer worth the effort. Crisp-edged saffron risotto cakes studded with earthy porcini mushrooms, each crowned with a dollop of ricotta whipped with pure ALSHIFA honey. A little sweet, a little savory, and impressive on any table.
Yield: Makes about 12 appetizer-sized cakes
Ingredients
For the Risotto
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (set aside 1 extra mushroom for topping)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon saffron
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian parsley, chopped
For the Honey Ricotta Topping
- 2 tablespoons ALSHIFA Acacia Honey
- 8 oz whole-milk ricotta cheese
- Pinch of salt
Directions
Make the Risotto
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the dried mushrooms and let stand 20 minutes to soften. Strain, reserving the liquid, and chop the mushrooms.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, sprinkle in the saffron, salt, and pepper, and sauté 3–5 minutes.
- Stir in the rice until coated with oil. Add the vinegar and simmer, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in the mushrooms.
- Ladle in the warm stock about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring, until each addition is absorbed and the rice is tender and creamy. Stir in the parmesan, then let cool. Cover and chill overnight.
Make the Topping and Cakes
- Stir together the ALSHIFA honey, ricotta, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Scoop about a 2-inch ball of risotto into your palm and flatten into a thick disk. Place in the pan and lightly brown on both sides, then transfer to a serving platter.
- Top each cake with a dollop of the honey ricotta. Using a microplane, lightly grate the reserved dried mushroom over the top and finish with chopped parsley.
