Smoked Salmon Quinoa patties not suitable for cats

These are some delicious quinoa patties!

They are so easy to make, cook up a treat and taste amazing. What more could you ask for? Well, I could ask for a Tabitha cat that doesn't have such a sensitive nose that she can smell seafood (or any food) from a mile away. Never mind, I've got the making of these patties down to a fine art, so no sooner than I have the salmon out of the packet then it's in the bowl being shaped into patties. Nothing like a greedy, beady-eyed cat to make you work faster...

Speaking of smoked salmon, I use Tassal brand 'Smoked Salmon for Cooking', which I get from the supermarket. It's a lot more economical than normal smoked salmon because, although it does have some brown flesh (and the occasional bone), appearance doesn't matter so much when you are throwing the fish into a pasta or other cooked dish. You could also use leftover roast chicken in these patties, and you'll still get the goodness of the quinoa.  Win/win!

Quinoa and Smoked Salmon Patties

makes 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup quinoa

200g (1 cup) smoked salmon pieces or offcuts

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 red chilli, finely diced

pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional)

2 tblsp chives or spring onions, finely chopped

juice of 1/2 lemon or lime

salt and pepper

Method

1. For the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to the boil and add the quinoa. Cover the pan and reduce heat to simmer, then cook for 10-15 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside until the quinoa cools slightly.

2. To make the patties: Mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl with the quinoa. Take 3 tablespoons of the mixture and use your hands to form into a flat, burger-shaped patty, pressing together firmly. Place the patties on a plate and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook the patties for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Serve warm or cooled, with mayonnaise or a squeeze of lime.

Ingredients, including quinoa, breadcrumbs (I used coarse panko crumbs), eggs, salmon offcuts, chives, chilli and lime

After cooking the quinoa, mix with the other ingredients to form patties

A lovely golden crust forms on the patties, like rice cakes, but tastier.

I like to serve these quinoa patties with wasabi mayonnaise, but they're just as sublime with a squeeze of lime.

Tabitha cat was lurking in the shadows, attracted by the scent of juicy salmon (she didn't get any of these quinoa patties, though *evil cackle* haha!)