Food52.com One pot kale with Quinoa

I happened upon this site somehow.  You know how it is:  you're searching for some specific recipe and hit that Google search engine, and wait to see what comes your way.  And wonderfully, sometimes you have great luck running across an intriguing site where one can get lost browsing through the recipes.  And this is one of those sites.  (Another one I love is"America's Test Kitchen" aka "Cook's Illustrated."  Never been steered wrong there.)

No idea what I was looking for but I was hooked immediately because this site has so many recipes -  submitted by professionals and amateurs.  There are contests!  Hmmm, I wonder if I've got a recipe unique enough to submit.  Wait, now I remember.  My newly married  daughter and SIL are home for Christmas so I have a captive audience to cook for!  I've advised them to bring sweat pants because I'm going over the top.  I'll be heading for the fat farm.  Not until after Christmas though.

I made the One Pot Kale Quinoa tonight.  It was exceedingly good.  I was a little irked for paying $4.00 for a bunch of kale - I have kale in my winter garden.  (Yes, my winter garden.  Not to be confused with my summer garden, that produced poorly...  I've got beets, leeks, onions, chard and kale, in spite of myself.) 

(Photo by deensiebat)

I followed the recipe except for the pine nuts which are too dear currently so I used walnuts (which I didn't toast, sigh, because I was baking sweet potatoes in the toaster oven) and substituted olive oil for the walnut oil because I didn't have any.  Which reminds me:  I've got truffle oil!

Also, I think Meyer lemons are quite small.  So I only used half of the lemon juice - and the flavor was perfect.

The list grows.  This is truly a forgiving recipe.  I had no feta so chopped up some pecorino.  It was good.

Serves 2-4
  • 2 cups salted water
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale, washed and chopped into 1" lengths
  • 1 meyer lemon, zested and juiced
  • 2 scallions, minced
  • 1 tablespoon toasted walnut oil
  • 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
  • salt and pepper
  1. Bring the water to a boil in a covered pot. Add the quinoa, cover, and lower the heat until it is just enough to maintain a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then top with the kale and re-cover. Simmer another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to steam for 5 more minutes.
  2. While the quinoa is cooking, take a large serving bowl and combine half of the lemon juice (reserving the other half), all of the lemon zest, scallions, walnut oil (you can substitute olive oil if you desire), pine nuts, and goat cheese.
  3. Check the quinoa and kale when the cooking time has completed -- the water should have absorbed, and the quinoa will be tender but firm, and the kale tender and bright green. If the quinoa still has a hard white center, you can steam a bit longer (adding more water if needed). When the quinoa and kale are done, fluff the pilaf, and tip it into the waiting bowl with the remaining ingredients. As the hot quinoa hits the scallions and lemon it should smell lovely. Toss to combine, seasoning with salt and pepper, and the remaining lemon juice if needed. 
Sometime this weekend I'm making the sardine pate.  I won't touch liver in any form but guess those fish carcasses don't bother me. Some crisp crackers, a pot of mustard, a little pate. 


Comments

Stephanie said…
I substituted truffle oil for the walnut oil with excellent results. It added another layer to the flavor. Yumm.
Sun Jan 12, 05:03:00 PM
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