Quinoa Cakes with Tomato-Pepper Chutney

This week has been amazing so far. I [finally] received and accepted a job offer - and, bonus, it's for a company I am very excited to be working for! It's also Thanksgiving week, and we have family in town...and, well, tomorrow I will be doing nothing but cooking, eating, and imbibing with people I love. I mean, really...how can that be anything but delightful??

In case you're strapped for one last appetizer for the big day, or just want a break from all the Thanksgiving goodness that's been gracing your social media feeds, please introduce yourself to these Quinoa Cakes. Z and I originally found the recipe in - you guessed it - Ottolenghi's Plenty More, but we tweaked the recipe quite heavily to suit our time limit and existing kitchen items. This version is just as delicious, I presume, but also quicker to make.

These protein-packed cakes are full of flavor, and topped with the tomato-pepper chutney, they're borderline out-of-this-world. Serve these for a fun and surprisingly healthy appetizer tomorrow, or just keep this recipe in your back pocket for the next time you need a hearty appetizer. (These also make a great main dish served alongside Honey-Roasted Carrots or a big green salad).

Quinoa Cakes
Yields: About 16 cakes
Cakes:
-1 1/2 cups quinoa
-6 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
-1 small red onion, finely diced
-2 large eggs
-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
-1/2 cup cottage cheese
-1/4 cup grated cheddar
-1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs
-2 teaspoons ground cumin
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Tomato-Pepper Chutney:
-1 medium red bell pepper
-2 cherry peppers, seeded and diced
-3 cloves garlic, skin on
-3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
-1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Quinoa Cakes:
1.) Throw the quinoa into a saucepan with plenty of boiling water and simmer for 9 minutes, until tender but still with a bite. Drain in a fine sieve, refresh under cold water, and set aside until completely dry.
2.) Place the scallions, red onions, eggs, jalapeno, cottage cheese, cheddar, breadcrumbs, cumin, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the quinoa, stir well, and form the mixture into small patties (about 2 1/2 inches wide and 3/4-inch thick).
3.) Place a non-stick pan over medium heat and add half the oil. Fry the patties in batches for 3 minutes on each side, until golden, adding oil as needed. Place on paper towel-lined plates and sprinkle with salt.

Tomato-Pepper Chutney:
1.) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2.) Place the red pepper and garlic on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Remove the garlic, turn the red pepper, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes. Once the skin is blistered and the pepper roasted, remove it from the oven and place in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. When cool, peel, seed, and chop the pepper. Also, peel and roughly chop the garlic.
3.) In a medium bowl, mix together the peppers, garlic, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. The chutney can be served with the quinoa cakes immediately, although I highly recommend making this 20-30 minutes beforehand to let the flavors meld together even more.

These are fabulous warm from the stovetop, but I also may or may not have eaten three of these cold - piled high with chutney - during an epic hangry moment. No matter which way you decide to eat them, I promise your palate (and stomach) won't be disappointed. 

Happy [almost] Thanksgiving! What do you have planned for the holiday?