What ARE these delicious looking little morsels? Do they really have radishes in them? Did Hedgie seriously create this recipe himself? Yes, this is an original recipeOne day last month, Hedgie asked me to think of a recipe that he could make and feature in the next blog post. He had just completed a successful radish harvest, so I was hoping I could incorporate some of his latest organic produce into the recipe. I also wanted to keep it small and snack sized, something that could easily fit in Penelope's backpack (or mine). Mulling over my mental catalog of recipes for burger-type edibles that didn't fall apart, this gem was created. RECIPE FIRST, BLOGGING LATERWhenever I actually need to look up a recipe online - particularly when I am in a hurry - I find myself scrolling and scrolling past a novels worth of text before I actually get to the recipe and ingredient list. Not here. Explore the story behind the name while you're eating it. RADCAT HEDGIE CAKES Makes 7 cakes / 2-3 burgers Prep time: 20 min / Cook times: 10 min Note: Use the tiny shredder part of your grater or one that has tiny holes... See above photo - you want the sizes on the right, NOT the one on the left. INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup radishes, finely shredded and squeezed 1/4 cup finely shredded carrots 1/2 cup black beans, cooked and smashed* (we used canned seasoned beans) 4 Ritz crackers, finely crushed 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs 4 tablespoons oil/2 tablespoons butter for frying (this does NOT get mixed in the bowl!) 1 smallish egg (but if there isn't a choice use whatever size you have - add a cracker or two if need be) And a skillet to cook all this in. Squeeeze those radishes - for real! Place your shredded radishes onto a paper towel or absorbent cloth and wring them out over the sink. You'll be amazed how much juice they contain. * In regards to the next step, I typically put the black beans in the bowl FIRST and mash them against the sides of the bowl with a spoon. They don't have to look like re-fried bean paste - just smash them up so that the beans aren't entirely whole. This helps everything stick together and blend evenly. The back of a sturdy spoon or the bottom of a glass works well for this task. Take all your ingredients and mix them together in a bowl until evenly blended. The consistency should be tacky - sticky but not runny, and not dry and crumbly. If you flung a spoonful at the wall, it should stick with minimal sliding. If you feel it's too wet, add another cracker or small amount of breadcrumbs. If it's too dry, add a splash of your favorite liquid flavor enhancer - soy sauce, sweet and sour, Frank's, mustard, mayo, etc. Once your ingredients are all mixed, you can either make snack sized cakes or two, maybe 3 burger patties. We are doing snack sized Hedgie cakes in this tutorial, so roll bigger if you want burgers. - The snack size can mimic sausage patties in pasta or breakfast dishes and are great added to salads. - This recipe will make 2-3 burgers, depending on your size preference. Double the recipe for more. Scoop a spoonful of your mixture out and gently roll between the palms of your hands to create a Hedgie-sized ball. Then, press it between your hands to slightly flatten it, creating a small patty. Gently tap or roll the edges against your hands to minimize cracks in your little snack patty. Repeat until all of the mixture is used up and you have a plateful of Hedgie cakes ready to fry up. Now is when you want to have your skillet nice and hot (well not too hot... medium heat). Put your oil and butter in the hot skillet and stir together. You can absolutely alter the ratio depending on your preference, the key is to have the skillet covered in a thin layer to fry in. We used unsalted butter and extra virgin olive oil. Once your oil/butter mix is making little bubbles, add the cakes in gently, arranging them evenly in the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes each side, so that they have nice browning on the outsides and can easily slide around the pan... firm enough that if you toss one to an unsuspecting passerby, they should be able to catch it without it falling apart no problem. Your end result should look like this: And now here's the best part.... GETTING TO EAT IT! RadCat Hedgie cakes can be served alone, as a snack, dressed up, paired with other food, as a side... I could go on. Hedgie enjoys his on a bed of fresh arugula, topped with a dab of dill pickle mustard, a nasturtium petal, and a fresh pinch of fennel....with a side of nature. If you need some ideas for how to enjoy these tasty morsels, here are a few to get you started. Main dish/dressed up - On a bed of your favorite greens topped with tzatziki, fancy mustard, or chutney - As a burger...enough said - Crumbled and lightly re-fried as a ground beef substitute for tacos Side dish/addition - Add to spaghetti or pasta dish instead of meatballs or sausage - Substitute for meat patty in breakfast dishes - Top your favorite salad with a few of these babies... ohmyYUM - Basically it's a versatile, savory side for just about any meal. And it's a great anytime snack Even tasty when cold, these are easy to pack away and travel or grab on the go. Penelope can fit two in her backpack. Warm some up and toss them in an insulated cup for in-your-cupholder snacking. What about the name? The name "RadCat" comes from radish and carrot. But why not RadCar then? Because "RadCat" is more fun to say and it also hints at a friend of Hedgie's who has not yet been introduced in his stories, Spaghetti Cat. And Spaghetti Cat does some rad things, like mountain biking the Allegrippis Trails in central PA. The tail end of "Hedgie cakes" was added because they are small and Hedgie sized, of course. (To be honest, I call them RadCat cakes or Hedgie cakes, and rarely use the full name.)
Stuff some of these in your backpack on your next single track trip or hike and think of Spaghetti Cat!
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Tales of Douglas Furr (and his friends)narrated by Crissy Clossin Archives
February 2024
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