Quinoa Fritters with Aji Amarillo Aioli
Ingredients
- 6 cups white or black quinoa, rinsed and cooked
- 1½ cups flour
- 3¾ cups Cotija cheese, divided use
- 2½ tablespoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups green onion, white part only, finely chopped
- 9 eggs
- 9 egg yolks
- 2 cups flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Grapeseed oil for frying
- 12 cups pico de gallo
- Aji amarillo aioli, recipe follows
Preparation
Combine quinoa, flour, 2¼ cups cheese, salt and pepper. Add green onions, eggs, yolks and parsley. Stir thoroughly until mixture has the consistency of soft dough. Refrigerate, covered.
Heat ½-inch oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Press ¼ cup batter into an egg-shaped fritter and fry about 1 minute or until bottoms are golden brown. Turn and fry another minute. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange 3 fritters on a plate per serving and top each with 1 teaspoon aji amarillo aioli. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cheese and serve with ½ cup salsa. Makes 24 servings.
To make aji amarillo aioli, whisk together 1½ cups mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons lime juice, 1½ tablespoons chopped parsley and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Add chopped aji amarillo chilies to taste. Makes 1½ cups.
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger; The Border Grill; Santa Monica, California