My friend Emily and her husband just got back from San Francisco and raved about the quinoa her friends made while they were there. I had been wanting to make quinoa recently so I picked some up at the store on the way home from work without checking her recipe to see what else I would need. Of course I didn’t have a thing on hand tonight to make her recipe, which included spinach and smoked gouda, but I was able to throw something together without another trip to the store. I have long been intimidated by this grain for some reason and was pleased to discover that it’s actually quite quick and easy to make. You could really add just about any fresh vegetable to it to make a delightful summer meal; personally I thought my combination was perfect. It would also make a great side dish or bed for grilled fish, shrimp, or chicken. I served mine as the main dish, pairing it with a glass of white wine.
My Quinoa
1 1/2 – 2 servings as main dish, 4 for side dish
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cups quinoa, well rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (you could use vegetable or beef as well)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped peppers (I used three small sweet yellow and red peppers)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Put the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the quinoa and stir. Next add garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. When the grains start popping and toasting (you will smell this) a couple minutes later, add the stock and bring to a boil. Stir one last time, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the mushrooms and peppers. Sautee over medium-high heat until soft. Add the cranberries, stirring well, and turn heat to low.
2. When the 15 minutes are up for the quinoa, uncover and test for doneness. If the kernels are not soft, cover and cook for another five minutes. Add more chicken stock if needed in order to just cover the bottom of the pan.
3. When quinoa is ready, add the
mushroom, pepper, and cranberry mixture, stirring well. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Add the chopped cilantro . You may serve immediately or cooled to room temperature.
Note: I tried this again and decided that it’s easier and actually better to simply boil the quinoa in water or chicken/vegetable broth or stock for 15 minutes (I used 1.5 cups quinoa with 2 1/4 cups water). When I tried it the second time, I sauteed a small chopped onion in olive oil and 1/8 cup white wine with 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder and 2 cloves minced garlic, added this to the cooked quinoa, then stirred in 3 cups spinach, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, and 2/3 cup grated cheese (smoked gouda works well), keeping it on low heat until the spinach was wilted and the cheese was melted. It was very good.
