Quinoa Galettes

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  I had all of these grand plans for a Cindo-de-Mayo themed blog post, but things started to go awry as soon as I left work.  I was going to make some vegetarian enchiladas....but then I didn't feel like going to the store to buy the ingredients.  Then I was going to make some margaritas....but I didn't want to buy tequila because I very rarely drink it.  So THEN I decided I'd just buy some Mexican beer!  But I went into the beer cooler at my liquor store and bought this instead:

BAM!  Brooklyn Lager.  Needless to say, my blog post today has nothing to do with Cinco de Mayo! 

Instead I looked for some ways to use what I already had stocked in my fridge.  I had a bunch of leftover quinoa from the muffins I made last week and I did not want to waste it.  Luckily I found the perfect recipe on one of my favorite food blogs La Tartine Gourmande.  Quick side note: this blog is stunning.  I could stare at the photographs all day long....

One recent post included a recipe for "quinoa galettes" or quinoa patties.  The ingredients looked so simple that I was worried that the patties would end up being bland or need some kind of a side sauce to add flavor.  But wow was I surprised!  These little quinoa patties were delicious all on their own.  The inside of the patties had a creamy quality while the outsides were crunchy and nutty.  So simple and SO GOOD.  This simple recipe makes 12 small patties.  Do yourself a huge favor and try them immediately.

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/3 cup grated Parmesan, Gruyere, or I used Romano
1 onion, finely chopped (the recipe calls for yellow or white but I used purple and it turned out fine)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil

Directions
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 rest for a few minutes.  Your mixture should be a consistency that allows you to form patties.  If the mixture is too wet, add more bread crumbs.  Too dry, add some water or egg.  It's not going to be a very sticky mixture, but it should stay in a patty form if you mold it together. 

Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy pan over medium-low heat.  Add the patties into the pan, about 4 at a time.  Cover your pan (I used foil) and cook for 7-10 minutes, until the patties are a very deep brown.  Carefully turn them and cook another 7-10 minutes until the bottoms are also browned.*

Remove from the skillet and set on a wire rack to cool while you cook the rest of the patties.  Serve them completely plain or with a side salad for a fantastic meal. 

And I haven't forgotten about Taste Thursdays!  I tried making Desert Sand Cookies today from today's paper...not sure how they turned out....stay tuned!

*Food Tip: I had to add more oil in between steps to achieve the desired color in my cast iron skillet.  You might also try increasing the heat.