Corn & Herb Risotto Cakes with Shrimp Curry
Ingredients
RISOTTO CAKES
- 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 8 green onions
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for frying
- 1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup fresh corn kernels
- 1 cup finely grated asiago cheese such as Sartori's asiago
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish
SHRIMP CURRY
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1½ pounds raw shrimp
- 4 Roma tomatoes chopped
- 1½ teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1½ teaspoons tamarind paste or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 15-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes optional
Instructions
RISOTTO CAKES
- Several hours before serving, in a medium-size saucepot heat broth to boiling. Cover, and reduce heat to low, holding at a simmer. Thinly slice green onions, combining the white and pale green parts. Reserve the sliced dark green onion tops for garnish.
- In a wide, deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the white and pale green onion parts, and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine, 1 cup of broth, and salt; simmer until completely absorbed.
- Begin adding 3 cups of hot broth in 1-cup increments, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next one. (This should take 15 to 18 minutes total.) Add corn, then the remaining broth in ½-cup increments, stirring constantly. Test the risotto between additions until it’s done cooking.
- Stir in asiago, parsley, and cilantro until well combined. Spread the risotto in an 8-inch square baking pan, and set aside to cool; cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
SHRIMP CURRY
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic and ginger, and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink and just cooked through; transfer to a plate.
- Add the remaining oil, garlic, and ginger to the skillet, and sauté 1 minute over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, curry powder, coriander, tamarind paste, sugar, turmeric, salt, and cayenne; cook 1 minute. Whisk in coconut milk, and heat to boiling; cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and return shrimp to the skillet; cook for 2 minutes.
- Just before serving, cut the risotto into individual “cakes,” shaped and sized as desired, using a cookie cutter or knife. Fry each cake in vegetable oil, turning to lightly brown the tops and bottoms. To serve, spoon some of the curry sauce onto each plate, arrange a risotto cake beside the sauce and top each with several shrimp, more sauce, the reserved sliced dark green onion, chopped cilantro, and if desired, toasted coconut.
Elaine Khosrova
Elaine Khorova is the original Editor-in-Chief of culture magazine and the current recipe writer extraordinaire. She resides in the Hudson Valley of New York where she is working on a book about the history of butter.
Photographer Mark Ferri
Mark Ferri is a graduate of Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif. He believes in a simple, direct approach that captures the natural beauty and appetite appeal of food. Mark celebrates a life-long passion for food by frequently exploring new restaurants in New York and in Europe, and loves to cook and entertain at his home in the Hudson Valley. Learn more about Mark on his website: http://www.markferriphoto.com/
Stylist Leslie Orlandini
Leslie Orlandini is a chef and an accomplished food stylist in print and television. She has been nominated for both James Beard and Emmy awards and is a veteran of thousands of cooking shows and segments. You can learn more about her through her website: http://leslieorlandini.com/
