Monthly Ingredient Project Update – January

January - Quinoa
I can tell you that my first experience with quinoa was not a pleasant one. I tried it at a spa retreat that Doug sent me to for my birthday several years ago. To be frank, it was just plain gross and only one spoonful made it past my lips. So, to say I was apprehensive about this ingredient is an understatement.
The goal was to make 3 or 4 different recipes with this ingredient throughout the month. In actuality what I did was make one recipe four or five times because it was so amazing. I will, however, post the other recipes I was going to try for anyone else that might want to make it for themselves.
These recipes were taken from cookbooks at a Border’s store here in San Antonio. Unfortunately, I did not write down the names of the books or author, so I don’t know who to give credit to. I will do that in the future. It was hard enough standing in the store trying to copy down the recipes in shorthand while the store manager glared at me, but I was not about to buy three different books for one recipe (especially experimental ones). Perhaps that’s from my low moral fiber, but I will deal with my Karma when that day comes.
So without further ado, here are the recipes…

Aztec Quinoa – this is the one I made repeatedly
1 tsp butter
1 lg onion, diced
1 tsp cumin
1 poblano chile, diced
3 c. vegetable stock
Salt
3 med. Potatoes, peeled and cut in ½” cubes
2 carrots, sliced in ¼” rounds
1c. quinoa, washed
1 c. corn, frozen whole or cut from 2-3 cobs
1c. whole milk
Pepper to taste
Minced Italian parsley and cilantro
Grated Pepper Jack cheese
Sour cream
Tobasco or hot sauce

Melt butter in a large soup pot on medium heat. Sauté onion and cumin 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add poblano chile and sauté for 3 minutes more. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes, carrots, and quinoa to the pot. Return to a boil, stir well, and turn down to simmer. Cover pot and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Add corn and cover and cook for 5 minutes more.

Turn off heat and pour in milk. Stir once and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Spoon into bowls and top with parsley and cilantro. If you like, pass the cheese, sour cream and hot sauce to add at the table.

Quinoa Tabbouleh
1 c. quinoa, raw
2 c. water
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh chopped mint
1 red, green or yellow bell pepper
4 scallions
2 garlic cloves
1 ½ c. lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Rinse and drain quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove any residue of bitter coating. In a covered sauce pan on high heat, bring quinoa, water, salt, and mint (if dried) to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender (approx. 15 min.). Fluff with a fork and place in a serving bowl.

While quinoa cooks, finely chop bell pepper, mince the scallion and garlic and finely chop parsley and mint (if fresh). Add to the serving bowl with cooked quinoa. Pour on lemon juice and olive oil. Mix well. Salt & pepper to taste.

Menu ideas: Garnish with cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, chopped toasted almonds, grated feta and or kalamata olives. Goes well with all things Greek.

Asparagus Quinoa Salad
1 c. quinoa
2 c. water
Salt
12 spears asparagus
½ c. kalamata olives
1 lg. tomato
1 lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Pepper
4 oz. crumbled feta

Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water. While quinoa cooks, cut asparagus into 1” pieces. Place in saucepan and ½” of water and bring to boil. Cover and cook on medium low heat 3-4 minutes or until barely tender. Drain under cold water for 1 minute to cool.

Cut olives into thin slices. Seed tomato and cut into ½” pieces. Zest lemon and strain for 3 tbsp of juice.

Combine quinoa, asparagus, olives, tomato and zest. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together and pour over mixture. Salt and pepper to taste and top with feta.