Warm Herbed Quinoa Cake, Kalamata Aioli

Warm Herbed Quinoa Cake, Kalamata Aioli
Arugula Salad with Heirloom Black Garbanzos,
Kalamata Olive, Walnut, Feta, Red Onion

The other day I noticed Quinoa Cakes in the Prepared Foods section at Whole Foods Market and thought those could be great if they were freshly cooked and warm, served with some sort of salad…so I took a photo of the ingredients, added a bag of quinoa to my cart, and went home to experiment.

For the salad wild arugula is tossed with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add black garbanzos, sliced kalamata olives, walnut pieces, crumbled feta and super-thin sliced red onion.

Herbed Quinoa Cake Recipe

• 1 c. cooked quinoa, at room temperature
• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1 T. chopped fresh dill
• 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 T. fresh thyme
• 1/4 t. sea salt
• several grinds of pepper
• 1 T. tahini
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 T. canola oil

Mix quinoa with breadcrumbs, herbs, salt and pepper. Add tahini and eggs and mix again.

Let quinoa mixture sit 10 – 15 minutes to absorb liquids. Heat canola oil in a small sauté pan (not non-stick). Form quinoa into two patties. Cook patties over medium to medium-low heat until browned on both sides and heated all the way through, about 5 minutes per side, flipping once.

Serve cooked cake atop arugula salad.

Kalamata Aioli

• 1/2 c. pitted kalamata olives, drained
• 2 t. capers, rinsed
• 1/4 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. fresh thyme leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 t. red wine vinegar
• 3 t. olive oil
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Blend all ingredients except mayonnaise in the small bowl of a food processor to make a coarse paste. Fold kalamata paste into mayonnaise.

Heart Healthy Recipe: My heart healthy version of this dish simply substitutes egg whites for whole eggs, Vegenaise for mayonnaise, uses fat-free feta.

These quinoa cakes were surprisingly delicious. Lots of  herbs gave the “ancient-super-grain” quinoa a fresh bright taste. Tahini added depth to the nutty flavors. The crispy exterior contrasted the fluffy interior texture. While the patties were quite tasty on their own, the dish called for a creamy sauce, and kalamata aioli was the perfect complement.