QUINOA: LEARN TO LOVE IT

This week's recipe, Quinoa and Avocado Salad with Dried fruit and Lemon-cumin Vinaigrette can be found here: http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/quinoa-avocado-salad-dried-fruit-toasted-almonds-lemon-cumin-vinaigrette.aspx

Ingredients:

• 3T raisins
• 2T dried apricots
• 1C red or white quinoa
• 1 large lemon
• 3T olive oil
• 1/4t coriander
• 1/4t cumin
• 1/4t paprika
• 2 avocados
• 2 scallions
• 3T toasted almonds

Quinoa: Love it or Eat it?

I've heard so many debates over this tiny, ancient grain: some people love it, become obsessed and try to force feed the stuff to anyone they come across. Others vehemently abhor the little nuggets, claiming they don't like the taste and they're over the trend. While I might fall into the former category (to know me is to accept I'm a quinoa loving hippy),  I can appreciate that this ingredient has had more than enough attention already. That being said, you have to try this quinoa recipe! Seriously. For all the quinoa haters I challenge you to try this version and tell me if you still think the ingredient is overrated.

What I liked about this recipe:

The dressing is simple yet tasty, a celebration of paprika! I recommend doubling the amount and saving the extra to toss with roasted vegetables or as a marinade.

The flavor profile and textures in this dish are lovely. I think hitting the sweet, salty and sour notes are key to any good salad. In addition to delighting the palate, I think it's important to satisfy the crunchy, smooth and creamy textures that add complexity to the dish.

This salad is filling! I can appreciate a light, simply composed salad for an appetizer of first course but I need substance to fill up on salad as an entree.  The quinoa and almonds provide the protein to satiate the greatest of hungers.

What I didn't like about this recipe:

The avocado wasn't necessary. But aren't avocados always necessary, you might be asking yourself. This might seem to be contrary to the quinoa-lovin-hippy that most of you know me to be but it's true: there is a time and place for avocado and it's not on top of every salad you make. Avocado doesn't add much flavor to this salad and the soft texture gets lost amid the composition. So, save yourself the $2, omit the avocado.

The quinoa cooking instructions indicate to prepare it the way we make most rice: a specific ratio of boiling water to quinoa and cook until all the water is absorbed. While this might work for some of you, I've found a method that I think is superior: cook it like pasta. I can not take credit for this technique, my friend's husband who's from South America (where they're REALLY obsessed with quinoa) taught it to me. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, salt and oil the water, add the quinoa, set a timer. I've found it generally takes 20 minutes this way but time is not the ultimate indication, the tail is:

In this photo the tails are beginning to unfurl

When the quinoa is ready little tails (technically they're called "endosperm") will have unravelled on most of the grains, this is quinoa's queue it's cooked. Thoroughly drain the quinoa in a mesh colander, the drier the better the grain will absorb the salad dressing, and enjoy!

Quinoa let's it's tail down