HERBED RISOTTO CAKES WITH SPINACH AND SAGE LEAF CRISPS.

Ingredients......25gm of butter/ marg, 1 tbs of olive oil, 2 spring onions , finely chopped ,250gm of risotto rice, 12 tbs of minced garlic, 350ml of chicken stock, 2 tbs of fresh thyme leaves, chopped, 1 tbs of fresh sage leaves, chopped. Spinach and sage leaf crisps...... canola / rice bran oil for frying, 50 of baby spinach leaves, handful of sage leaves. To make the risotto, melt the butter/ marg and olive oil in a medium/ large frying pan. Add the shallots and gently saute until soft and tender. Stir in the rice and garlic, cook gently for a few minutes. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a small saucepan. Now stir in the heated stock one ladel at a time, waiting untileach ladel of stock has been absorbed before adding the next. Stir in the herbs. Press the rice into into 4 moulds or cups, keeping them warm while you prepare the spinach and sage leaf crisps. To make the crisps... heat the oil in the deep fryer/ pot to 180 deg C. Add the spinach leaves and fry for a few minutesun til crisp and tender, then remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the sage leaves. Turn out the risotto moulds on to individual serving plates, then serve the sage and spinach crisps alongside.