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Leftover Risotto:
Risotto Crab Cakes with Lemon Crème Fraîche
Serves 2

Risotto Cakes Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups leftover saffron risotto, cooled to room temperature
½ pound fresh lump crab meat, preferably Dungeness crab
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
½ cup cornmeal

Lemon Crème Fraîche Ingredients:
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
½ teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 (8-ounce) container crème fraîche

(1) In a large mixing bowl, combine risotto, crab, and chives. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or use the following day.
(2) In a small bowl, stir together crème fraîche, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and salt; set aside or cover and refrigerate.
(3) Shape ¼ cup of chilled risotto-crab mixture into round flat cylinders approximately 1” tall and 2” diameter, making approximately 8 cakes total.
(4) Pour the cornmeal onto a flat plate and press only the largest flat and bottom surfaces of each crab risotto cake into the cornmeal, being careful not to get cornmeal on sides.
(5) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon butter in a 12″ non-stick pan over medium-high heat until lightly browned; careful not to burn.
(6) Set 4 cakes into the heated oil and butter; cook until golden brown or warmed in center approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
(7) If pan is heavily browned, wipe clean and repeat steps 5 and 6 to cook the remaining 4 crabcakes. Serve warm with a dollop of the lemon crème fraîche.

Photography By: Natali Wi