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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

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Saffron Risotto
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Arborio rice
½ medium onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon saffron threads
60 ounces chicken broth
1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste

(1) In a large stock pot over medium-high heat bring chicken broth and saffron to a simmer; continue simmering for about 15 minutes to infuse the broth with saffron flavor, then reduce to low-heat to keep broth warm.
(2) Heat olive oil and only 1 tablespoon butter in a shallow 4qt. sauce pan.; add onion and cook until translucent.
(3) Add arborio rice to heat through and lightly toast, stirring constantly to keep rice from sticking or burning.
(4) Add 1 cup of the warmed broth, stirring the rice constantly until the liquid is almost absorbed.
(5) Continue to add broth 1 cup at a time while stirring constantly to make sure rice doesn’t stick, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice appears shiny and is cooked through. Overall, it should take approximately 40 minutes for the rice to completely absorb most or all of the broth
(7) Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons butter and grated Parmesan to cooked rice mixture. Season salt, pepper to taste and serve warm.

What to do with leftover risotto?
With leftover risotto, make risotto crab cakes and remove 2 cups cooked risotto and reserve for crab cakes.

Photography By: Natali Wi