My Mom found this recipe in Food and Wine magazine, contributed by Maria Helm Sinskey, several weeks ago, and so I decided to make it. Generally, I take recipes, make them according to direction, find fault in the flavor or nutrition content, and then make my own alterations. However, this recipe is somewhat flawless, except for a few digressions I made to reduce a little bit of the fat content, and because I did not have a particular ingredient available. I rarely have a meal without a carnivorous protein, but with the protein attributes of the quinoa, there was really no need. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add red peppers, sauteed onions or mushrooms, or even ground turkey to the cakes for variation or added flavor. I hope you enjoy this reccomendation; try it, let me know what you think, and definitely post any alterations that you would make!
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup quinoa (it does not matter what color or flavor...I used tri-color, and it was wonderful)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon minced shallot (I was out of shallots, so I used sweet white onion as a substitute)
10 ounces baby spinach (I used 12 ounces of spinach for added vitamins)
Salt (I always use Kosher salt when cooking)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup low-fat milk (I only had nonfat, and it didn't seem to alter the recipe)
3/4 cup finely ground semolina flour (white flour does not work!)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3 large egg whites
PREPARATION
In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the spinach to a strainer and let cool slightly; press out any remaining liquid and finely chop the spinach.
In a large saucepan, combine the milk, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the semolina until very smooth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the semolina is thick enough to hold soft peaks when the spoon is lifted, about 7 minutes. Remove the semolina from the heat and stir in the quinoa and Parmigiano. Season with salt and pepper and let cool for 15 minutes.
Stir the beaten whole egg and spinach into the quinoa mixture and spread in an ungreased 7-by-11-inch pan; it will be about 2 inches thick. Let cool at room temperature, then cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 250°. Cut the chilled semolina mixture into 12 squares. Put the panko in a shallow dish and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. In another shallow dish, whisk the egg whites with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1 tablespoon of water. Dip the cakes into the whites and turn to coat, letting the excess drip off. Coat the cakes in the panko and shake off excess crumbs. Transfer to a clean baking sheet.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add half of the cakes and cook over moderately high heat until golden on both sides and on the edges, about 6 minutes; adjust the heat as necessary to prevent the cakes from burning. Drain the cakes on a paper towel–lined plate, then transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the skillet and cook the remaining cakes in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Serve hot.
DIETARY INFORMATION
Calories: 167
Fat: 9 grams (less if you substitute the low-fat milk for nonfat milk)
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Fiber: 2 grams
Protein: 5 grams
Bon Appetit!
No comments:
Post a Comment