Little Quinoa Patties

I've made quinoa patties before, using a slightly different recipe (one that is gluten-free if you want to check it out). I honestly can't remember which one is better because I made the other one almost two years ago. But I do remember that I liked them both. Last time we dipped them in a delightful red pepper mayonnaise. This time we dipped them two sauces: tzatziki and chipotle-chili tartar sauce. What I really appreciate most about quinoa is that it acts and tastes like a grain (technically it isn't), which satisfies the carb lover in me, but it's high in protein, so I feel good about having it as a main course. If you make an interesting enough dipping sauce and form the patties even tinier, I think they'd make a cute hors d'oeuvre.

LITTLE QUINOA PATTIES

Makes 20 little patties

2 1/2 cups cooked* quinoa, at room temperature

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan or gruyère (or 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese)

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed

extra-virgin olive oil or clarified butter as needed

1.      Combine the quinoa, eggs, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the chives, onion, cheese, and garlic. Add the bread crumbs, stir, and let sit for a few minutes so the crumbs can absorb some of the moisture. At this point, you should have a mixture you can easily form into approximately twenty 3-inch (1-inch thick) patties. If the patties are too moist, you can add more bread crumbs, a bit at a time, to firm up the mixture. If they are too dry, a bit more beaten egg or water can be used to moisten the mixture. The quinoa mixture keeps nicely in the refrigerator for a few days.

2.      In a large, heavy skillet over medium-high, heat just enough oil to coat the bottom. Add the quinoa patties (in batches if necessary) and cook until the bottoms are deeply browned, about 8-10 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook until the patties are browned on the other side.

3.      Remove patties from the skillet and cool on paper towels.

*To cook quinoa: Combine 1 cup of well-rinsed uncooked quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and you can see the little quinoa curlicues. Drain if any water remains and then return to the pot. Let stand covered for 10-15 minutes, then fluff with fork.

slightly adapted from Epicurious (originally from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson)

raw quinoa

rinsed quinoa in the pot with water and salt

cooked quinoa (already fluffed with a fork)

cooled quinoa and egg

adding the onion, garlic, chives and feta

adding breadcrumbs

mixed

patties frying

patties flipped

patties cooling off

quinoa patty dipped in tzatziki
(we also dipped some in chipotle-chili tartar sauce)

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Carrot-Ginger Quinoa Pepperjacks

I was definitely in the Halloween spirit this week, but not feeling terribly original I guess. First I made a snakewich (concept stolen from Better Homes and Gardens) and now I've gone and robbed pepperjacks from a blogger named spabettie. But can you blame me? Really, they're just so cute. I couldn't help myself. And the quinoa cooked in the carrot-ginger juice tastes really fresh and delicious. Plus it's good for you (that was just a happy accident).

CARROT-GINGER QUINOA PEPPER JACKS

Yield: 2

1/2 cup dry black quinoa

1 cup carrot-ginger juice (5 carrots + 1-inch piece ginger, juiced)

1 cup cooked black beans

2 orange bell peppers

sea salt

spinach salad for serving (optional)

1.      Combine quinoa and carrot-ginger juice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

2.      Preheat oven to 350º F.

3.      Hollow out and carve the peppers to resemble jack-o-lanterns.

4.      Combine cooked quinoa with black beans and salt to taste.

5.      Fill peppers and bake for 30 minutes.

6.      Serve over spinach salad if desired.

from spabettie

carrots and ginger

juicing carrots and ginger

If you don't have a juicer, see if you can find carrot or
carrot-ginger juice in the refrigerated section at your
store. If you can find plain carrot juice, you can always
grate some ginger and squeeze the juice in yourself.

carrot-ginger juice

black quinoa

I think this would also taste/look good with black forbidden rice.

quinoa and carrot-ginger juice in pan

cooked quinoa with black beans mixed in

cutting my pepper jack

I went a little overboard with my cutouts.
They should be much more dainty, especially the
mouth (unless you're actually trying to make it look
like your pepper jack is throwing up quinoa).

filling a pepper

filled pepper jacks, before baking

baked

See what I mean, the one on the left looks like
he just ate expired clams from a gas station.

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Quinoa Fritters with Red Pepper Mayonnaise

If you've never heard of quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), pull up a chair and learn your one new borderline fun fact for the day. Quinoa's nickname is the supergrain, but technically it isn't a grain at all. It's really an ancient seed native to South America (once called the gold of the Incas), related to leafy green vegetables like spinach. But let's pretend for now that it's a grain (which is commonly done), so we can call it by its nickname (I love superheros so it makes eating quinoa more fun for me). The reason it's considered super is because it's the only "grain" that's a complete protein (which means it's not only high in protein, but has all nine essential amino acids too). 

Quinoa is high in magnesium, riboflavin, lysine...I could on and on about the health benefits, but I'm starting to bore myself a little. Let's just say it's incredibly good for you and leave it at that. Once cooked, quinoa has a somewhat nutty flavor and slightly crunchy texture. It can be cooked with beans, chicken or vegetables, made into tabbouleh or other salads, served as a hot cereal or just seasoned any way you'd like and eaten as a side dish. See, super.

QUINOA FRITTERS WITH RED PEPPER MAYONNAISE

Yield: about 12 fritters

Fritters:

2/3 cup white or black quinoa, rinsed and well drained (if necessary)

1 1/3 cups water

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup grated cotija or feta cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 scallions (white and light green parts only), finely chopped

1/2 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

1 egg

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup canola or grape seed oil

Red Pepper Mayonnaise:

1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise

1/3 cup roughly chopped, roasted red peppers

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

2 cloves roasted garlic

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.     Place a small, dry saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and toast for about 5 minutes, shaking and stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Transfer to a large saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2.     Meanwhile, to make mayonnaise combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.     In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, flour, cheese, and salt. Add scallions, parsley, egg, and yolk. Stir thoroughly with a spoon until the mixture has the consistency of soft dough.

4.     Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using two soup spoons, press batter into egg-shaped ovals and gently slide into the hot oil or use a small ice cream scoop. Fry until the bottoms are golden and brown, less than a minute. Turn and fry the second side until golden, less than a minute. Drain on paper towels and serve warm, topped with red pepper mayonnaise.

from Chef Mary Sue Milliken (Top Chef Masters, Season 3, Ep. 5, Elimination Challenge Winner)

raw quinoa (looks very similar to sesame seeds, only slightly rounder)

It's important to rinse well before cooking because quinoa has saponin on
it (a bitter, resin-like substance that acts as a natural insect repellent).

roasted garlic cloves (I made extra)

To roast: place garlic cloves in a small baking dish and drizzle
with just enough olive oil to coat. Cover dish with foil and roast
at 375° F. until golden brown and tender, about 40 minutes.
Cool and squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins.

red pepper mayo ingredients

red pepper mayo

I think mine was a little loose because I used bottled roasted
red peppers and even though I drained them, I should have
reduced the amount of olive oil a little to compensate for whatever
was still clinging to the peppers. It was still delicious, just more like a sauce.

cooked quinoa

cooked quinoa, up close and personal

chopped scallions

grated cotija cheese

adding all the ingredients

everything mixed

pan frying the fritters

I didn't make mine into ovals using spoons,
I just formed patties with my hands.

flipped and almost ready

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