Risotto Cakes

Serves 2

• 110g (4oz) Arborio rice
• 350ml (12fl oz) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 small onion
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry vermouth
• 25g (1oz) butter
• 25g (1oz) grated Parmesan cheese

Fry the onion until soft in the oil. Add the rice, seasoning and thyme and cook until the rice is hot.

Add half the stock and simmer until it is absorbed. Keep adding the rest of the stock a little at a time until it is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, Parmesan and vermouth.

Taste for seasoning.

Spoon the risotto onto a flat tray and spread out to a thickness of about 20 mm. Allow to get cold – preferably overnight.

When cold, cut out circles of rice cakes with an 8-9 cm diameter cutter. Fry in olive oil until crisp and golden.

Serve with the pan roasted chicken with lemon and parsley.