Shrimp cakes with serious flavor, but no gluten

To keep the first batch of cakes warm while the second cooks, place them in a 200 F oven. A wasabi-spiked mayonnaise or sour cream would make an excellent dipping sauce for these fried cakes.

PAN-FRIED SHRIMP AND CARAMELIZED SCALLION RICE CAKES

Start to finish: 3 hours 45 minutes (45 minutes active)

Makes 8 cakes

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

6 scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 cup Arborio rice

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup water

8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Salt and ground black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Heat the oven to 375 F.

In a small ovenproof pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium. Add the scallions and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and let cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe out the pot and heat another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and water.

Transfer the pot, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in the scallions, shrimp, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let cool to room temperature. Stir in the eggs and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

Shape the cooled rice mixture into 8 cakes, each about 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high. Add 4 rice cakes and cook without moving them for 4 minutes. Flip the cakes and cook for another 4 minutes, or until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and rice cakes.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 245 calories; 101 calories from fat (45 percent of total calories); 11 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 97 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 1 g fiber; 360 mg sodium.

(Recipe from Silvana Nardone's "Cooking for Isaiah," Sprig, 2010)