quinoa and black bean salad
Photo! 
Doesn't look as good as real food bloggers' photos, but it'll have to do.
I found this recipe on Epicurious when I was looking for something to pay homage to my first green pepper from the garden. (Apologies if you are getting sick of this garden theme...) I didn't make the quinoa the crazy way they're recommending, because it just seemed complicated and I like quinoa's texture the way it is when you just cook it normally in water, like rice. If any of you are adventurous, I'd be curious to know if it really is that much better with the steaming step at the end.
1 1/2 cups quinoa (small disk-shaped seeds)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked corn (cut from about 2 large ears) [I skipped this]
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper [I doubled this]
2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves) [I didn't have this but I'm sure it would have been better if I had]
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
[I topped with feta right before serving]
For dressing
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
In a bowl, wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.
In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about
10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, and coriander and toss well.
Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving. [And put feta on it -- I highly recommend that step.]
Doesn't look as good as real food bloggers' photos, but it'll have to do.I found this recipe on Epicurious when I was looking for something to pay homage to my first green pepper from the garden. (Apologies if you are getting sick of this garden theme...) I didn't make the quinoa the crazy way they're recommending, because it just seemed complicated and I like quinoa's texture the way it is when you just cook it normally in water, like rice. If any of you are adventurous, I'd be curious to know if it really is that much better with the steaming step at the end.
1 1/2 cups quinoa (small disk-shaped seeds)
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked corn (cut from about 2 large ears) [I skipped this]
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper [I doubled this]
2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves) [I didn't have this but I'm sure it would have been better if I had]
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
[I topped with feta right before serving]
For dressing
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
In a bowl, wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.
In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about
10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, and coriander and toss well.
Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving. [And put feta on it -- I highly recommend that step.]
Comments
If Alton Brown comes to your house to steam quinoa (naked? naked), tell me, and I'll come over. :)