Crispy brown rice cakes with green olives, pecorino, and sage
Instructions:
- BROWN RICE:
- 1½ cups water;
- ¾ cups medium- or short-grain brown rice.
- CAKES, AND TO FINISH:
- ¾ cup plain dry whole wheat or regular bread crumbs;
- 2 ounces shredded Pecorino Romano cheese or Greek kefalotiri, using the large holes of a box grater (about ¾ cup);
- ½ cup finely chopped green onions (about 3);
- ¼ cup finely chopped pitted green olives;
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten;
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried;
- 1 teaspoon minced hot green chile, such as serrano (optional);
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt;
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper;
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
- To prepare the rice, bring the water and rice to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and spread to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spread ½ cup of the bread crumbs on a shallow plate. Have a small baking sheet on hand.
- To make the cakes, add the remaining ¼ cup bread crumbs and all the remaining ingredients except the olive oil to the bowl with the rice. Using your hands, thoroughly combine the mixture until the ingredients come together. No need to be gentle.
- Level the mixture inside the bowl and divide using a butter knife into 8 equal portions (cut in half like a cake, and then each half into quarters). Moisten your hands with water and form cakes about 3 inches in diameter. Gently press both sides of each cake into the bread crumbs to coat and place on the baking sheet.
- To finish, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook 4 cakes at a time, carefully turning once with a metal spatula, about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and repeat with the second batch. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- TO GET A HEAD START: Make the brown rice, as in step 1, ahead. Or use 2¼ cups cooked leftover rice (see cooking instructions). The cakes can be prepared, up through step 4, as much as 6 hours ahead. Chill, covered.
- TO LIGHTEN IT UP: Bake the burgers instead of pan-frying them.