I do not live in an area with a particularly high count of roadkill, nor armadillos for that matter. These are obviously not made from armadillo but risotto rice, veggies and breadcrumbs.
Light and fresh, and perfectly suited to a side salad, armadillo cakes make the most out of these last few (sort of) summery days.
Makes 4-5 cakes. Cooking Time - 45 minutes
Ingredients
1 Medium Sized Onion - finely chopped 1 Leak - finely chopped 100g Arborio Rice 500ml Vegetable Stock 500ml Boiling Water 1 Medium Sized Courgette - grated Handful of Fresh Basil Leaves - Finely Chopped Soft Cheese or Cream Cheese 100g Breadcrumbs Side Salad to Serve
1. Heat a splash of oil in a large heavy bottomed pan and add the onion and leak. Cook for 2-3 minutes until soft but not starting to colour.
2. Add the rice and stock, bring to the boil, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes. Allow to simmer and continue stirring until all the stock is absorbed into the rice. Gradually add the boiling water until all this liquid is absorbed and the rice is starting to turn sticky. This should take around 15-20 minutes.
3. Add the courgette and basil, and place the pan on a high heat. Continue stirring for about 5-10 minutes or until the mixture is dry and sticky. Turn out onto a plate and allow to cool slightly.
4. Divide the mixture in 4-5 cakes and add the cream cheese filling. To do this shape the cake into rough circle and make an indentation in the centre, put a teaspoon full of cream cheese in this. Hump mixture from the side over the top of the cheese and re-shape, squishing down the top if necessary to avoid an unsightly bulge.
5. Cover the cakes in breadcrumbs, add a little oil to the top to help them crisp, and place on a non stick baking tray. Put into the centre of a pre heated oven at 200°C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.