Recipe: Mushroom and Spring Pea Risotto Cakes with Lamb Cutlets and Lemon Sauce

MUSHROOM AND SPRING PEA RISOTTO CAKES WITH LAMB CUTLETS

1 onion chopped finely
2 cloves garlic mashed up
30g dried porcini mushrooms (soak in advance in warm water for about 30 minutes then drain well. Use the leftover water in your vegetable stock)
1 cup of garden peas blanched (60 seconds in boiling water then drained and then plunged into icey cold water.)
2 cups arborio rice
knob of butter
2 cups vegetable stock boiling hot
olive oil
3/4 cup grated parmesan
some fresh lemon thyme (normal thyme will be great too if you can't source lemon variety, its just coming back into season)
plain flour
pepper and sea salt flakes
Canola oil

Lamb cutlets (2 to per person or 3 for Dads and big brothers)

LEMON SAUCE:
100ml white wine
300ml cream
1 knob of butter about 50g
juice of 2 lemons
remainder of the bunch of lemon thyme

Chop up the pre soaked porcini mushrooms

In a heavy based pan add some butter and cook off the garlic and onion and aborio rice until the rice is translucent

Gradually add the boiling vegetable stock and a dash of white wine if you like and keep adding while stirring very regularly until stock is almost fully absorbed (around 15 minutes)

Add porcini mushrooms, parmesan, thyme, pepper, salt flakes and peas; stir well. Allow this to cool of for about 40 minutes (the longer the better for shaping the risotto cakes)

Shape the risotto into flat pattie shape and lightly coat with flour before cooking of in a pan of heated canola oil until both sides are crisp and golden.

Drain on paper towels.

TO PREPARE SAUCE:
Bring the wine to the boil and reduce down to a third. Add the thyme and the cream and simmer until the cream thickens slightly. Remove from heat and whisk through the butter, then add the lemon juice, pepper and sea salt.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with lamb cutlets and wedges of lemon.

Adapted from recipe by Chef: Erin Miller