MA Quinoa Fritters with Garlicky Sautéed Spinach

What You’ll Use

Garlic

Lemon

Pre-washed baby spinach

Quinoa fritters

Garlic yogurt

Chop 4 cloves of garlic. Cut 1 lemon into wedges. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the garlic and a pinch of chile flakes, if you want a little heat, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add 1 lb spinach (2 bags), a few handfuls at a time, and stir until just wilted, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the spinach to plates and keep warm. Wipe out the pan, return it to the heat, and warm 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the fritters and reheat until warmed through, 2 minutes per side. Transfer the fritters to the plates, with the spinach on the side, and dollop with the garlic yogurt. Serve warm, with the lemon wedges for squeezing.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Step 1

To prep the stracciatella, chop 4 cloves of garlic. In a pot over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth, 1½ cups water, and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle simmer, turn down the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Let cool, remove and discard the rind, transfer the broth to an airtight container, and refrigerate. 

Step 2

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add ⅓ cup orzo and cook until barely al dente, 5 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain the orzo, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss to separate the pieces. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. 

Step 3

To prep the fritters, chop 4 green onions. Chop 2 cloves of garlic. Chop a handful of parsley, including some of the stems. In a bowl, combine half of the cooked quinoa (1 container), half of the feta (1 container), 2 eggs, the green onions, garlic, and parsley. Sprinkle with ¼ cup flour, season with 1 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper, and mix to combine. Scoop out mounds of about ¼ cup, and gently shape the mixture into 12 fritters. 

Step 4

In a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in vegetable oil to about ¼-inch deep. When the oil shimmers, working in batches if necessary, add the fritters and fry until golden brown and crispy, 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let cool, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.

Step 5

To prep the salad, rinse and drain the chickpeas. Finely chop about ½ cup red onion. Combine the chickpeas and red onion in a bowl, drizzle with the red wine vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.