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Quinoa Makes A Great Side or Main Dish
I first made these almost eight years ago after changing my eating habits. For one thing, I knew quinoa was a great source of protein. However, like tofu, it lacked flavor.
Make the quinoa ahead of time to save time. I would also recommend making extra quinoa. There are so many great recipes that use quinoa. Just make enough for a week because it is not something that will last much longer. Personally speaking, I like to assemble the patties early in the day so all I have to do is cook. I also like to have a chutney such as mango chutney.
The original recipe I am sharing is by Lisa Turner. It was published on June 23, 2013. I’ve seen similar recipes on Food52 and Epicurious. Their recipes use bread crumbs in place of flour and recommend using Gruyère cheese if you prefer that to parmesan. I have been making my own substitutions. For instance, in place of spelt flour, I will use rice flour or whole-wheat flour. There are so many newer flours available at most supermarkets that offer nutritional perks like increased protein, micronutrients, and fiber.
Finally, as a rule of thumb, read through your recipe before starting. This one calls for 3 tbs of olive oil but only 1 tbs goes into the mixture; the rest is for cooking.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soft unripened goat cheese
- 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 cup dried)
- 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 to 3 tablespoons spelt flour or unbleached white flour
- 2 green or red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions:
- Mash the goat cheese with a potato masher or fork.
- In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, cheeses, 2 tablespoons of the flour, chilies, shallots, spices, herbs, salt and pepper, egg, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Next, stir until well combined. Then, add more flour or oil as needed to achieve a fairly moist mixture that can be shaped into roughly 6 small patties.
- Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, fry a few patties at a time until golden brown — about 5 minutes on each side.
- Remove and let drain on paper towels.
Serve warm with your favorite chutney or tomato sauce.
The amount the recipe yields depends on the size you make the cakes. For the above, the recipe states you can get 6 3-inch patties.
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