RCP: Quinoa with Tomatoes and Spinach.

Stuart, will you make this and get back to me with your thoughts? In fact, anyone can make it and get back to me with their thoughts. I just like Stuart better.

1/2 Cup Quinoa
4 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes
1 bunch Spinach
1 or more Garlic cloves, minced
Zest of one Lemon
Juice of one Lemon
S&P

Rinse the quinoa very well, at least three times. Bring two cups of water to a boil and add the quinoa. When the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid remove the pan from the heat.

Heat the EVOO in a large sautee pan. Toss in the tomatoes and let them simmer in the oil allowing them to get soft and the skins to roast.

Toss the spinach in the pan and gently wilt it. You may need to do this in batches (reduce one batch and then put the next one in). Stir to coat

Add the garlic and sautee until fragrant, about a minute, stirring.

Add the zest and juice. The juice will help wilt any spinach that still needs to wilt a little.

Add the quinoa and toss the whole mess together seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

rwj

Even though I'm not Stuart, and don't play him on the Forum, I have a comment.

This is very close to a dish they serve (or used to serve) at a restaurant here in Santa Fe. I am a fan of quinoa. It looks delicious, Robert J.

Cynthia, you are the Princess and therefore, by default, you comments are always welcome.

Though I am not a vegetarian I have been looking for ways to have balanced and satisfying meals that don't use meat. This has become one of my favorites of late. I also sometimes make this with orrechiette instead of quinoa. But since the quinoa provides a complete protein I usually employ it.

I am going to be submitting a menu for my first cooking class soon. I may submit this recipe as part of the menu.

rwj

As it happens, I have some quinoa and spinach, so I'll pick up some cherry tomatoes and give it a whirl tonight. Do you let them get roasty enough for the skins to fall off or just to the slightly-soft phase?

I do it either way. It depends on how soon I need to eat. If you let the skins get nice and roasted so that they fall off, the flesh will turn into a nice sauce as it falls apart. That is my preferred method. But either way will work.

rwj

er.

I hate to sound like I usually sound, but what's quinoa?

It is a South American grain (pronounced "keen-wah"). It provides a complete protein as it has all essential amino acids present. Therefore it is very good for you.

rwj

And you can buy it at many groceries and at all Trader Joe's.

I made this last night. And made it all gone.

Some comments:

1. This is a different way to cook quinoa than I've used before- more water and an open pot. I also had it going at a reasonable boil (like past) until near the end when I reduced heat to low. I was VERY dubious about the 4:1 water ratio, but it came out perfectly. This will now be my standard way to cook quinoa.

2. Winter tomatoes around here do not provide enough sweetness and flavor. It left the balance of the dish slightly too tart. With good cherry tomatoes, the balance would have been perfect.

3. Despite that, with the rather heavy olive oil content, it ate much like a warm salad, with the acidity and oiliness playing well together. I had no problem eating both Jimmy's and my portion (he decided that it wasn't enough like rice and he wasn't gonna eat it).

4. As usual, I have some enhancements in mind....

Thanks, Robert, this was a great learning experience. I now have a new quinoa basic technique to riff on.

2. Winter tomatoes around here do not provide enough sweetness and flavor. It left the balance of the dish slightly too tart. With good cherry tomatoes, the balance would have been perfect.

The first thing I thought when I read this was, it's a bad time to be eating cherry tomatoes. They just plain suck right now.
I may make the dish and sub roasted beets for the che-toms.

I made this last night. And made it all gone.

Some comments:

1. This is a different way to cook quinoa than I've used before- more water and an open pot. I also had it going at a reasonable boil (like past) until near the end when I reduced heat to low. I was VERY dubious about the 4:1 water ratio, but it came out perfectly. This will now be my standard way to cook quinoa.

2. Winter tomatoes around here do not provide enough sweetness and flavor. It left the balance of the dish slightly too tart. With good cherry tomatoes, the balance would have been perfect.

3. Despite that, with the rather heavy olive oil content, it ate much like a warm salad, with the acidity and oiliness playing well together. I had no problem eating both Jimmy's and my portion (he decided that it wasn't enough like rice and he wasn't gonna eat it).

4. As usual, I have some enhancements in mind....

Thanks, Robert, this was a great learning experience. I now have a new quinoa basic technique to riff on.

Thank you Stuart! Let me know what your enhancements are. I am going to start playing around with this dish more, too.

John, the roasted beets sound good. They would be especially good with the red variety of quinoa.

rwj

I did not have Quinoa, so used Israeli Couscous. The fresh spinach and cherry toms from Dessert Glory (they come in a little mesh bag) was a great addition. Very pretty, and tasty dish. I will try it with Quinoa when I pick some up.

I riffed off this last night, subbing in diced, roasted beets for the cherry tomatoes, and adding a final flourish of arrugala at the very end.

The beets dyed everything red - the dish had a kind of freakish, play dough color to it. Strange, but interesting. The greenery played off it nicely.
I must say I enjoyed the dish - I ate it as I would a risotto, and rounded out the meal with some crusty bread and a green salad.

I'm sure this version was quite different from the one with the cherry tomatoes, but the procedure was the same.

Thanks for the idea.

Freakish food is good.
rwj