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Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Quinoa Croquettes with Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream
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Black Bean, Sweet Potato & Quinoa Croquettes

These are more delicate than a burger, and meant to be eaten with a fork as a patty or croquette (rather than on a bun). The sweet potatoes balance the smoky and savory elements of cumin, oregano, chile, garlic, and the infusion of lime to heighten all the flavors. Be sure to serve with Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream—the combination is dynamite.
Course Main Course

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp water for saute
  • 1 1/4 tsp cumin seed (not powder, use seed)
  • 3/4 - 1 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 tbsp minced Serrano chile can use jalapeno or couple pinches crushed red pepper
  • 2 cloves minced garlic medium-sized
  • 1 tsp dry oregano leaves
  • 1/8 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp (rounded) sea salt for saute
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (orange-fleshed), packed, skin removed
  • 1 can (14 oz) black beans rinsed and drained, patted dry
  • 1 1/2 cups precooked quinoa
  • 1 tbsp ground chia
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp lime zest
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro optional
  • Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream for serving

Instructions

  • In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat the water. Add the cumin seeds and cook for a minute or two, stirring. Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, chopped chile, garlic, oregano, allspice, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper to taste, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until onion is very soft (be sure to lower the heat if the garlic starts to brown, so it doesn’t burn and develop a bitter taste). Once the onion is soft, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients (except the coconut oil for panfrying and Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream) and mix well. At this point, you can refrigerate the mixture until ready to fry (refrigerating for at least 30 minutes will make it firmer and easier to shape). Take scoops of the mixture and form into small patties with your hands. These are not firm patties; they will be soft and more delicate, so simply shape in relatively neat patties, repeating until you have used all of the mixture. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the patties and fry for 6 to 9 minutes on each side, until golden and a crust has developed, flipping them over only once or twice (the second side will cook quicker than the first), working in batches, if necessary. Serve with a generous drizzle of Pumpkin Seed Chipotle Cream.

Notes

  • When cooking grains such as quinoa, it is helpful to cook extra so that you have leftovers refrigerated for another day. One cup of dried quinoa yields roughly 3 cups cooked. Using cooled precooked quinoa also helps with forming the croquettes, as freshly cooked quinoa is moist and can make the patties too wet. So, cook your quinoa in advance, and refrigerate until ready to prep this recipe.
  • Some of my readers enjoy this mixture eaten straight up, almost like a hash with the cream drizzled over top, rather than fussing shaping the mix into patties - give it a try!
  • Cook the sweet potatoes in advance by baking whole. Simply place one or two sweet potatoes (depending on size) on a baking sheet lined with a little parchment paper (to catch drippings). Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until very soft when pierced with a knife or skewer.
  • The ground white chia helps the patties hold together. They can be made without the chia, but will be a little fragile and more difficult to flip. If you use the chia, be sure to use ground, not whole, white chia.
  • For kids, omit the chile in the sauté stage, and then before making the patties, remove a portion for your children. You can add the chile (raw, or cook it) or another spice to the remaining mixture to be served to the adults.