Three savory quinoa dishes

MOLLIE KATZEN JNS.ORG

Vegetarians, and especially vegans, need some high-protein plant food with a bit of heft to keep them going during Passover, especially if observing the Ashkenazi tradition that forbids eating kitniyot, a category that includes legumes, most grains and some seeds. Meat-eaters also might want to break the monotony of potatoes, matzah or matzah affiliates (farfel) in their carbohydrate options.

Enter quinoa – the tiny, ancient, highly nutritious grain originally from Peru. In December 2013, the Orthodox Union (OU) announced that quinoa will now be certified as kosher for Passover. Quinoa is delicious, texturally interesting and compatible with enough other ingredients to give it a wonderful range on your seder table. Here are three savory dishes that celebrate not only Passover, but the spring season in general.

QUINOA PILAF WITH ASPARAGUS AND LEEKS
Enjoy this pilaf as a side dish or heap it into grilled portobello mushrooms for more of an entrée. The pilaf keeps well in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days and reheats easily; same with the mushrooms. The best way to clean leeks is to cut them first (in this case, into very thin circles) and then submerge them in a bowl of cold water. Swish them around, then lift them out and into a colander. Change the water and repeat, then spin and/or pat dry.

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil (plus extra to taste)
1 heaping cup very thin leek rings (1 medium leek), cleaned and dried
1 tsp minced or crushed garlic
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
black pepper
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into tiny dice
optional: 6 portobello mushrooms (4-inch), prepared for stuffing (see below)

1. Combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to the slowest possible simmer, cover and cook (with a heat diffuser, if available, inserted underneath) until the grains are tender – 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork to let steam escape. Set aside.

2. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and wait about a minute, then add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Toss in the leek rings and sauté for about five minutes. When the leek is very soft, add the garlic, asparagus and quarter teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is just tender – about five minutes, depending on its thickness.

3. Fork in the cooked, fluffed quinoa and stir to combine, adding the remaining quarter teaspoon salt and a generous amount of black pepper as you go. Stir in the feta as well. If the mixture seems dry, you can drizzle in a little extra olive oil. Serve hot or warm, plain or stuffed into mushrooms.

4. If you choose to add the portobellos, here is a way of cooking them that greatly firms them up and condenses their flavor. Remove the mushroom stems and wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel. Place a heavy skillet over medium heat for about two minutes. Add a little olive oil, wait about 30 seconds, then swirl to coat the pan. Place the mushrooms cap-side down in the hot oil and let them cook undisturbed for about 10 minutes. Turn them over and cook on the other side for 10 minutes, then flip them over one more time, to cook for about five to 10 more minutes on their cap side once again.

Serves six.

GREEN ONION-QUINOA CAKES
These appealing and tasty treats are crisp on the outside and fork-tender throughout. They’re wonderful as a breakfast or brunch entrée, topped with salsa or strips of roasted red pepper. This is also a fun side dish or appetizer. You can make the batter and even form the cakes up to two days ahead of time, and store it – covered – in the refrigerator. No need to bring it to room temperature before frying.

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
4 scallions, very finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
2 large eggs beaten
butter for the pan
nonstick spray

1. Combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan, and cook as directed in the pilaf recipe above. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Add the scallions, salt, pepper and beaten eggs, and stir well to combine. (It’s fine if the quinoa is still hot.)

2. Meanwhile, melt some butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat and swirl to coat the pan. Lightly spray a quarter-cup measure (ideally one with a handle) with nonstick spray and use it to scoop the batter, evening off the top with a knife, to form neat cakes. Shake the formed batter into the pan and cook on both sides until golden and crisp. Depending on your pan and your stove, this will take approximately five minutes (or perhaps a little longer) per side. Serve hot or warm.

Serves four to five (about 10 cakes) if you use a quarter-cup measure as a scoop.

SPECKLED QUINOA SALAD
Quinoa combines beautifully with an assortment of colorful vegetables, apples, currants and almonds to make a bright lunch salad – and the palette becomes even more interesting if you use red quinoa. Roasted almond oil can swap in for some or all of the olive oil. The amounts and type of ingredients are flexible.

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 to 2 finely minced scallions
handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely minced
1/2 medium-sized apple, chopped small
1 medium-sized carrot, minced
1/2 medium-sized red bell pepper, minced
handful of currants
1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp light-colored honey
handful of almonds, chopped and lightly toasted
optional: sliced or minced radishes, finely minced red onion, finely minced celery and/or fennel bulb

1. Combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan, and cook as directed in the pilaf recipe above. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork, then let cool to room temperature. Continue to fluff as it cools, to assure the grains stay separate. Transfer the cooled quinoa to a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add the vegetables and currants, and stir to combine, sprinkling with the salt as you go. In a separate small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and honey, and whisk to blend. Pour this into the quinoa and vegetables, mixing to thoroughly combine. Serve at room temperature, or cover, chill and serve cold. Stir in the almonds shortly before serving.

Serves five or more.

With more than six million books in print, Mollie Katzen is listed by the New York Times as one of the bestselling cookbook authors of all time and has been named by Health Magazine as one of “The Five Women Who Changed the Way We Eat.” Her most recent book is The Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013).

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