Quinoa cakes with smoked salmon & sour cream

Ingredients (makes 32 cakes)

• 1¼ cups water
• ¾ cup quinoa
• 250 g smoked salmon, diced
• 2 large free-range eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• ½ cup coarse, dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
• ½ cup finely chopped spring onions
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill, plus small sprigs for garnish
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
• 6 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Lemon Sour Cream

• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

METHOD

Bring water and quinoa to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and spread out to cool, about 15 minutes.

To prepare lemon sour cream: Combine sour cream, lemon zest and lemon juice in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To prepare quinoa cakes: Add salmon, eggs, breadcrumbs, spring onions, chopped dill, lemon zest and pepper to the quinoa. Using your hands, thoroughly combine and squeeze the mixture to bring it together. Using two rounded tablespoons of the mixture for each and keeping your hands damp, form 32 small cakes, about two-cm thick and five-cm wide, pressing firmly to help them hold together. Place the cakes on a large baking sheet and/or a large plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to six hours).

Heat two teaspoons oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Reduce heat to medium. Gently add about one-third of the cakes and cook, carefully turning once with a spatula, until golden brown, three to four minutes on each side. Repeat twice more, wiping out the pan between batches, if necessary, and reducing the heat if the pan gets too hot. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with two teaspoons each of lemon sour cream and a sprig of dill if desired.

Recipe by Shannon Dunn