Springtime, goat cheese, chives, dill.  They get along, don’t they?  And I had some kale to use up, and a half-empty container of yogurt.  Mostly though, I wanted to try to make quinoa patties.   These things brought me to this recipe on Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks, where they all conveniently came together.

Kate and I picked up dinner in the neighbourhood last weekend, and I ordered a quinoa-based burger that tasted like moist hamburger bun.  Best descriptor I could find.  That’s not really a taste I enjoy, let alone one I would go to the trouble of recreating in my kitchen, but disappointment became determination – a quinoa patty need not taste like bun.  It could taste crispy and tangy and full of garlic.  I could enjoy eating it.  And I could make 12 for less than the cost of my blah restaurant burger.  Challenge accepted.  And I’m glad that I did – these were stellar and I’ll be making them again.

Baked Quinoa Patties

slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup chives, chopped
1/3 cup dill, chopped
1 cup kale, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup goat cheese

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1.  In a large bowl, mix quinoa with eggs & salt.  Add the fresh ingredients & cumin; stir well.  Add baking power & bread crumbs; stir well.  Set aside for a few minutes as crumbs absorb moisture.  Add goat cheese & stir.

2. Form into 8-12 patties, ~2 inches thick.  If the mixture won’t cling together, add a little more bread crumbs or a few tbsp of flour; if it seems too dry, add a little bit of water or additional egg.

3.  Place patties on an oiled baking sheet.  Bake @ 400 degrees until bottoms have browned (~15 minutes).  Remove from oven, flip, and return to bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Serve hot.