I like quinoa. In addition to being toothsome and tasty as a pilaf, and, incidentally, very good for you, it makes excellent little pan-fried cakes. The texture is superb, crisping up beautifully on the outside while staing both tender and a little bit chewy on the inside.

The method is much like what you'd do to make rice cakes: Take one cup of cooked quinoa and mix in one beaten egg. Then add whatever vegetables and herbs strike your fancy. Leftover roast or sauteed vegetables are good for this, as are fresh herbs, minced greens, scallions, garlic, etc. A little cheese is nice as well -- I used feta this time around -- and other flavorings that seem like they would complement the additions you've chosen, like cumin or lemon zest, say. Salt and pepper to taste.

The method then is to heat a bit of olive oil in a nonstick or cast iron pan over medium heat. Add the mixture in not-too-large dollops, to make cakes about an inch and a half across, and spread gently to make cakes at least half an inch thick (they'll get thinner as they cook). Let cook undisturbed for four minutes or so, then turn and do the same for the other side. I get about 10 croquettes out of a batch.

Then I got all hopped up on the rush of using up leftovers to make crispy cakes of tastiness, so I rooted around in the fridge and found some black beans and barley, which I used to make into more croquettes. These ones featured cheddar cheese, cumin, and cayenne and are very different in character, far more rustic, and also excellent. They need a bit more time left to cook undisturbed, more like five or six minutes per side. I think probably the lumpier your croquette makings are, the more they'll want to fall apart.