Cauliflower Risotto Cakes by Rachel

Having ordered too many vegetables all at once, rather than letting them go bad, I had to find creative ways to make use of them.  Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies, but, unfortunately, my fiancé isn't crazy about it, so I had to find a way to work it into a dish that would be more appealing to him.

One thing that we both really love is risotto, which is where my idea started.  Inspired by polenta cakes, I thought that adding cauliflower to some risotto and shaping it into cakes would make hold together like polenta does and I was right!

While I love to fry things, I wanted to make a healthier dish, so I baked them and they were delicious and crispy.  With some fresh tomato sauce on the top, they were perfect.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup risotto
2 tbsp cornmeal
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups cauliflower, chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste

To batter:
1 egg
1 cup italian bread crumbs

Truffled Mushroom Risotto with Gruyere by Heather

It was a snowy evening in NYC, so I wanted to make something warm and hearty, and this risotto does the trick.  It takes some work to make risotto, but the end product is definitely worth it.   It definitely helps if you have somebody that can help you stir!

Ingredients:
1 lb. arborio rice
3 tbs. olive oil
2 32 fl. oz cartons chicken stock
13 fl. oz marsala wine
7 oz (2 packages) shiitake mushrooms or assorted mushrooms, diced
1 onion, diced
3 sage leaves, minced
1 spring rosemary, minced
.3 lb shredded gruyere cheese
.1 lb shredded mozzarrella
truffle oil for drizzling
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup parsley, chopped