Serves 4.
From Deborah Madison, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, New York: Broadway Books, 1997.
- 1 large potato, preferably russet, about 10 ounces
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (see recipe below)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons sunflower seed oil, plus oil for cooking
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup cottage cheese, grated Jack, or mashed tofu
- Salt
- 1 cup fresh or dried breadcrumbs
Boil or steam the potato until tender, then mash it with a fork and mix it with the quinoa. Sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the spices and oregano. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft, about 8 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add this to the potato-quinoa mixture along with the parsley, egg, cheese, and salt to taste.
Work the mixture together, then divide it into four large or eight smaller portions and shape them into ovals. Press each croquette gently into the bread crumbs. Generously film a nonstick skillet with the oil and set over medium heat. When hot, add the croquettes and cook on both sides until nicely browned.
Cooked Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or broth
- Salt and freshly milled pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter or sunflower oil
Rinse the quinoa several times in a bowl of cold water to remove the bitter saponin coating, draining the water each time through a fine sieve. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan, then add 1/4 teaspoon salt and the quinoa. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the spiral of the germ is visible, 12 to 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Toss with butter and season with pepper.