Quinoa "Cakes" (Patties)

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 These are one of our new favorite things.  We call them "Quinoa Cakes" because they are a similar idea to crab or salmon cakes.  They are delicious!  They are easy to put together - especially if you have some leftover quinoa or cook the quinoa ahead of time (since it needs to be cooled).  We've enjoyed them topped with a little tartar sauce or lemony-creamy kind of sauce like the one on this recipe, but they're great on their own or however you like them.  I even made them twice as big one time and we used them as hamburger patties and they were delicious!  We topped them with our usual burger toppings and I thought they were outstanding.  I've tried this with red and white quinoa, and both work really well.  Red quinoa has a more mellow flavor, so if you find that you haven't taken to quinoa because of it's flavor, you might want to give the red quinoa a try.  Enjoy!



Quinoa Patties

Makes 11-12 patties

2 1/2 c. cooked quinoa, room temperature*
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 c. finely ground breadcrumbs, plus more if needed
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.  Stir in the parsley, cheese and garlic.  Add the bread crumbs.  Stir in the mixture until combined.  If the mixture seems too wet, add a tablespoon or two more of bread crumbs.  If it seems to dry, add a tablespoon or two of water. Let it stand for about five minutes so the liquid can be somewhat absorbed.  Take small handfuls of the mixture and form into little patties, about 1-inch thick, yielding 11-12 patties.

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until it is hot.  Add a single layer of patties (about half of them if using a 12-inch skillet) and cook until the bottoms are well browned, about 5-7 minutes.  Flip the patties and cook about 5 minutes more or until the second side is golden brown.  Remove from the skillet, add a little more oil if needed and repeat with the remaining patties.  Serve warm.

*1 cup uncooked quinoa yields about 3 cups cooked

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe