Uses for Quinoa

[OakLeaf]

No, you shouldn't have to rinse the pre-washed kind. If you have any doubt, just pop one seed into your mouth, you'd taste the alkaloids right away if they're there.

The consistency is kind of crunchy, I don't know, almost like raw sprouts I guess. I kind of like the mouth feel, actually.

[Catrin]

No, you shouldn't have to rinse the pre-washed kind. If you have any doubt, just pop one seed into your mouth, you'd taste the alkaloids right away if they're there.

The consistency is kind of crunchy, I don't know, almost like raw sprouts I guess. I kind of like the mouth feel, actually.

I like the little 'halos' they have and I agree the mouth feel is kind of nice hmmm, I haven't cooked any for some time. I have a lovely Paela recipe that I use it in...I wonder where it is? May just have to dig it out!

[sgtiger]

I make it like risotto but without the fussy stage of ladling in hot broth every 15 minutes.

-Dice whatever veggies I have on hand - onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, etc. It's great for using up the leftover little bits of veggies from previous meals.

-Saute the veggies in a teaspoon or so of EVOO in a 2 quart sauce pan. Just until fragrant, maybe just starting to show some color.

-Add well drained quinoa, if it needs to be rinsed, and saute that in with the veggies for another couple of minutes. If all the EVOO was absorbed by the veggies, then I add a bit more to the pot with the quinoa. If using curry powder, commercially availlable curry paste, or Thai chili garlic sauce add that in at the end and saute for half a minute.

-When the quinoa has a bit of color and nutty aroma, then add liquid - water, chicken broth, veggie broth, shrimp broth(shimp shells boiled in clam juice), or liquid from re-hydrating dried mushrooms. The liquid should be about 2 cm above the level of the quinoa. I eyeball it.

-Let it come to a boil. As soon as it does, reduce heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Re-hydrated mushroom, such as porcini or shitake, get added at this stage if I'm using them.

-Remove it from the stove and let it sit covered for another 10 minutes.

-S&P added just before serving if they're being used.

If I'm adding fresh mushrooms, I saute that seperately and add them into the pot just after it comes off the heat and mix them in before resting. You can saute them with the quinoa if you want, but I don't like my mushrooms mushy. Diced sun-dried tomatoes, the ones from the jar packed in olive oil, get added in just off the heat too. As does pan drippings if I'm serving it with meat and not using it for something else. Just add some water, broth, or wine to the pan that the meat was removed from and deglaze. Oh, dried herbs get added sometime in the simmering stage and fresh herbs either get added when it comes off the stove or just before serving, depending on the herb.

Depending on the combination vegetables, spices, and herbs used, it can have just about any ethnic flavor. Leftovers get added to a green salad cold the next day for lunch and tossed with some balsamic/port vinegar or lemon/lime juice. Maybe add a tiny dizzle of EVOO and freshly cracked black pepper.