Chorizo & Quinoa Cakes with Chimichurri Sauce

I have known about quinoa for several years now, but for some reason, it has taken me until this year to try cooking it.  And I don't know for what I was waiting! As the highest protein packed grain in existence, it takes very little to fill you up with its lovely, nutty flavour.  Its versatility is endless and it's not as hard to work with as some might think.  The key is in the through rinsing before cooking.

Since quinoa has its origins in South America, I thought it only fitting to pair it with another South American classic: the Chimichurri Sauce.  The Argentinian sauce, which has many variations, is an ideal summer sauce to keep on hand.  It keeps well in the fridge, can be frozen and goes with everything from steak to grilled vegetables and every meat in between. I've used it with fish mostly and in salad dressings.

Like so many great recipes, this one was created on a weekday whim. As I recall I had just watched the final of MasterChef and thus felt inspired to try something new using a mold.  I don't often concern myself with the appearance of food, but the more I get into blogging and photographing my creations the more aware I am of its importance.  And I've always loved the look of dishes using a mold to layer an shape food. So using the only little cups that I have, I decided I would make my first 'shaped' dish with quinoa.

My plan was purely an experiment - to make a small portion in case it didn't turn out.  However, using quinoa in particular was the best decision because it is so filling.  The size of my cups, about a four ounce custard cup, was perfect for a main meal.

Chorizo sausage works well in this dish, adding a smokiness, but you could easily substitute it if you want a vegetarian version. Try wilted spinach or rocket (arugula) and chopped peppers or courgettes (zucchini) with the haloumi.

Chorizo and Quinoa Cakes with Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

100g quinoa
400g water or stock
3 garlic cloves, peeled
400g tomatoes, fresh, tinned or roasted, or 300-400g passata (sieved tomatoes)
100g Chorizo (ready to eat variety)
1 Tbsp fresh Basil or Oregano, or 1 tsp dried herbs
100g Halloumi cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri Sauce to drizzle

Chimichurri Sauce (makes approx. 150g)
100g flat leaf parsley and coriander (ratio of these can be to taste. I usually like a 60:40 split, respectively)
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1-2 tsp ground cumin
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1-2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp red chili flakes
60-80ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

1.  Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine sieve (20-30 seconds to be safe under cold water.) Add water or stock to medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and leave covered for another 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2.   To make Chimichurri Sauce, add parsley, coriander, garlic, salt, cumin, chili flakes, and vinegars to a food processor and blitz till puréed.  In a steady stream with machine running, add olive oil, more if you prefer a thinner sauce. Transfer sauce to a serving dish and leave at room temperature until ready to serve. This sauce can be made ahead of time and is often better the day after making.  And it will keep well in the fridge for a week or more. Alternatively it can be frozen up to 3 months.

3.  While quinoa cooks, chop tomatoes, halloumi, and chorizo into small dice, and roughly chop herbs.  Finely chop the garlic.

4.  Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan to a medium heat. Add halloumi to pan and fry until golden. Remove from pan and set aside. Add chorizo, fry 2 minutes, add garlic, fry 30 seconds. Then add tomatoes and herbs and simmer till liquid has reduced slightly. Add in quinoa and halloumi and simmer until all liquid has absorbed.

5.  Grease 4 small custard cups or ramakins. Scoop quinoa mixture into each cup, pressing firmly to fill. Overturn each cup, one in the middle of each plate and shake or tap gently to remove the 'cake'. Drizzle with Chimichurri Sauce and serve.