Quinoa Cakes with Poached Egg

Have you tried quinoa? If not, you should! It cooks up as easily as rice (but more quickly!), and it's a rich source of protein, as well as calcium, magnesium, iron, and dietary fiber. While it's often found it salads and as a rice-like side, this recipe makes it into patties, transforming it into a wonderful meat-free main-dish.

The patties are a bit difficult to work with, as the quinoa is very delicate, but I chilled them before pan-frying, and after they cooked on one side, they firmed up and were very easy to turn. We thought the poached egg added a lot to the dish, but if you don't care for soft yolk, a fried egg would be delicious too.

Truth be told, I probably would have passed right by this recipe, had Emily not recommended it, but I'm so glad she did! We really enjoyed it!



Quinoa Cakes with Poached Egg

2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature (1 cup dry yielded nearly 3 cups cooked)
2 large eggs, beaten
½ tsp. coarse salt
1/3 cup minced fresh chives
2 large shallots, finely chopped (I used onion, as I don't care for shallot)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup whole grain bread crumbs, plus more if needed (I did need to add a bit more to help the patties hold together)
Olive oil, for frying

To serve,
Shaved Parmesan
6 poached eggs (one for each patty)
Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, combine the quinoa, eggs, salt, chives, shallots, Parmesan, and garlic. Stir to combine. Mix in the bread crumbs and stir gently until evenly mixed, adding more if needed. Form the mixture into six evenly sized patties, about 3-4 inches in diameter.

Heat a bit of olive oil in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat and swirl to coat. Add the patties to the pan so that they are not touching. Let cook about 4 minutes or until the first side is lightly browned. Carefully flip the patties with a spatula and let the second side cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional olive oil if needed. Top each patty with a bit of Parmesan, a poached egg, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.


Source: Annies's Eats