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• If you have time, make your grains the night before (when not using leftover grains). Chilling hardens the starch in grains—it’s called retrogradation—which makes it easier to shape them into burgers or cakes. The starches will soften again when heated.

• Don’t shape grain burgers into roundish mounds. They will hold up better if they are formed instead into flat cakes shaped like a car tire, an even thickness all around.

• Most grain cakes hold up better when chilled for 30 minutes, which also means you can make them ahead, often up to 6 hours. So don’t skip this step, especially when you are still practicing the shaping. Plus, start with a smaller size, by making, for example, twelve smaller 2-inch burgers instead of eight larger ones.

• Chopping add-ins such as onions and sun-dried tomatoes finely (about 1/8 inch dice) also helps the mixture to come and stay together.

• And last but not least, always use a gentle hand when turning the burgers in the pan or on the baking sheet.

Over the years, I have tried many different cooking methods to coax the most flavor out of whole grain cakes and fritters. I believe nothing beats pan-frying in a bit of olive oil in a cast-iron skillet. This browning in a little fat unlocks their flavors beautifully, and it’s also what my Greek grandmother always did, albeit using olive oil by the truckload. One more plus for the diet-conscious: I have noticed that I actually eat less of pan-fried cakes compared to baked ones—I find them more satisfying.

However, if you wish, by all means bake your grain patties in a preheated 425°F oven. Place them on a well-oiled baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil or spray with cooking spray, and bake for 10 to 14 minutes on each side or until they are nicely browned, turning them carefully once and brushing or spraying with oil again.

All grain cakes, including the buckwheat-feta burgers and the quinoa cakes, are perfect for a party buffet, as they can be prepared ahead and served at room temperature. When serving them this way, I like to shrink them for bite-size appeal.

Instead of 8 large burgers or cakes, you can prepare 16 smaller cakes about 2 inches in diameter, or 32 for the zucchini-dill bites. Once you have divided the grain mixture inside the bowl into eight equal portions, form 2 cakes (instead of 1) out of each portion. Pan-fry, as directed, about 3 minutes on each side. Or bake as described above, 7 to 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Brie Cakes with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

These richly flavorful cakes reveal pockets of oozing Brie, and burst with the aroma of Mediterranean herbs and sun-dried tomatoes. The cakes, naturally sweet with two kinds of oats, are also perfect finger food, served as part of a buffet. Look for firm (not soft and oozing) Brie when shopping for this recipe; it will be easier to cut. And leave the rind on. Add a bit of the richly flavored oil from the sun-dried tomatoes to the olive oil in the pan for extra aroma. MAKES 8 TO 12 CAKES, TO SERVE 4

OATS

1½ cups water

¾ cup steel-cut oats

CAKES

2 ounces firm Brie, cut into ¼-inch cubes (about ½ cup)

1½ cups quick-cooking oats (not old-fashioned rolled oats)

½ cup finely chopped red onion (about ½ onion)

⅓ cup well-drained and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

⅓ cup toasted pine nuts

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh red Thai chile (optional)

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

YOGURT-KETCHUP SAUCE, AND TO FINISH

1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

2 tablespoons ketchup

½ hot red chile, cut into small rings, or

1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce such as sriracha

Fine sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 To prepare the oats, bring the water and oats to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes over medium to medium-low