Quinoa Pilaf -- Easy

 

Quinoa Pilaf -- Easy

 

 

I’m a recent convert to quinoa. I’m not sure quite why it took me so long. Probably because the grain had such a cultish following, and because I loved rice so much in so many forms. 


But trying to get more iron into the diets of several family members who go light on, or without, meat, and cooking occasionally for several people dealing with diabetes or pre-diabetes, have both encouraged me to try more dishes with quinoa. The grain (technically a seed) is highly nutritious and has a relatively low glycemic index.

 

What I have learned is that quinoa is easy to cook, is fairly flexible in the variety of dishes that can be prepared with it, and (most important to me) I find I like quinoa. I’ll still cook and love rice, potatoes, grits/polenta, and pasta, but now I’ve expanded my repertoire for side dishes.

 

Raw quinoa has a negative feature that needs to be dealt with for best flavor. The seeds have a light coating of naturally occurring, bitter, soap-like saponins, which apparently give the plant protection from grazing animals and microbial organisms. This should be removed by washing the grains before cooking. (Some quinoa is already washed before it is sold, in which case further washing is not necessary.)

 

Here’s a pilaf-style dish I made using red quinoa, which is very attractive, to accompany roasted salmon. White, black or tri-colored quinoa would also work. I used a rice cooker, but also suggest how to cook the dish on the stove-top instead. I made the version with chicken broth and rendered chicken fat, but I include a vegetarian option in the recipe, as well.

 

The recipe serves six as a side dish.

 

1 1/2 cups quinoa, red or mixed color for attractiveness

1/2 small onion, finely diced

1 small Roma-type tomato, cored and finely diced

3 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or a medium pinch of dry thyme

2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat or olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of cayenne

2 2/3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, or water

Minced parsley for garnish, optional

 

Place quinoa in the rice cooker container or the pot in which it will be cooked. Add plenty of cool water, then rub the grains between your hands for a minute or so. Drain off the water through a sieve and rinse well with running water. Drain, then return rinsed quinoa to the rice cooker container or cooking pot.

 

Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well.

 

Rice cooker method: Cover and turn on rice cooker. Let cook through its full cycle, then rest, unopened, for ten minutes after the light switches from cook to “keep warm.” After 10 minutes, open cooker and fluff quinoa with a rice paddle or fork to mix well. Remove the bay leaves as you see them. Cover and keep warm until served.

 

Stove-top method: Keeping pot uncovered, bring contents to a boil. Stir, cover pot, and reduce heat to the lowest setting. Set timer for 20 minutes. At 20 minutes, keep pot covered but turn off the heat and let rest 10 minutes. Open and fluff quinoa with a rice paddle or fork to mix well. Remove bay leaves as you see them. Cover again until served.

 

If quinoa cools off, or there is some left over, it’s easy to reheat in a microwave oven in a covered casserole, fluffing a time or two during reheating.

 

Serve in a shallow bowl, dusting the top with a little minced parsley, if desired.

 

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