Whew! Where have I been? Well vacation then a new job – leads to a hectic life offline! The other night, freshly home from vacation I wanted to make something familiar that I knew we would both enjoy. And I instantly remembered the Potato & Quinoa Croquettes made previously. I made a few changes in order to make them vegan (and based on my mood!), and I made a sun-dried tomato tapenade to top them. Here they are – both versions are delicious and even Brad loved them!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. potatoes (about 4 small yellow ones)
• 1/3 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. garbanzo beans (drained & rinsed from can)
• 1/4 c. leek, thinly sliced
• 2 t. paprika (I used spicey)
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• 1.5 t. corn starch
• panko bread crumbs

1. Peel potatoes then steam for about 10 minutes until tender. Mash with fork.
2. Add garbanzo beans to potatoes and mash them up a bit as well.
3. At the same time bring 2/3 c. of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt then add the quinoa. Cover & lower the heat to a simmer. Let cook about 15 minutes until water is absorbed. (Note: when quinoa cooks, a tiny spiral appears that encircles the grain. This is perfectly normal and should be expected.) Combine quinoa with mashed potatoes.
4. Sauté the leeks in a small skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add spices including oregano. Stir well, it will be very dry now. Continue to cook and stir until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add mixture to potatoes and mix well.
5. In a small bowl mix corn starch with a scant 1/4 c. of water. Add to potato mixture along with parsley.
6. Separate the mixture into four large patties, or eight smaller ones, and shape into patties. Coat each patty lightly with panko bread crumbs.
7. Cook on baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 5-10 minutes per side, until warmed thru and nicely browned.

We’ve been a small Mexican food kick ever since we picked up those fresh tortillas and pumpkin seed dip at the farmer’s market! Last night we had a wonderful spread: fresh tortillas, sikil p’ak (the wonderful spicy pumpkin seed dip), heirloom beans, guacamole, soy taco filling, fresh salsa, and Mexican rice! Now that is doing Taco Night right!

This Mexican rice recipe comes via Rick Bayless’ wonderful book: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, with few modifications. The way I prepared the recipe will leaveyou with about 1 c. of salsa to enjoy, and a full dish of rice that was far more than just Brad and I could eat in one setting.

Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 lb. tomatoes
• 2-3 Serrano peppers
• 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

1. Turn the broiler to high, then place the tomatoes on a pan about 4-inches from the flame. Heat until the top is bubbling and may have black spots, about 5 minutes. Flip the tomatoes over and repeat on the other side.
2. Remove from the heat to let cool. Remove the skin and discard. Keep all collected juices.
3. In a skillet over med-high, heat the garlic and chilis, turning often. The skins will turn black in spots, which is fine. Remove when softened, about 5 minutes or longer.
4. Discard the chili stems and peel the garlic cloves. Place in a small food processor with 1/4 t. salt. Process until chunky or paste like.
5. Add the chunks of tomato and process in batches until chunky. Add as much collected juice as desired to reach the consistency you prefer. Stir in the onion and cilantro.
6. Allow to sit several hours (if possible) for the flavors to blend.

Rice Ingredients:

• 1 c. white rice (medium grain preferred)
• 1 c. salsa
• 3/4 c. water or broth
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a medium pot with a lid (oven safe), heat some olive oil over med-high. Add the rice and cook until chalky, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the salsa and cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Add the water and salt, then bring to a boil.
5. Cover tightly and place in oven. Bake for 25 minutes then test a few kernals. If rice is nearly finished, remove from heat but keep covered for 5-10 minutes. If it does not seem close to being finished cooking, return to the oven for another 5 minutes then repeat the above.
6. Sprinkle in cilantro and fluff with a fork.