Quinoa salad is a perfect side dish or luncheon main course. This particular version combines coriander and cumin along with plentiful amounts of fresh dill, mint, cilantro, and scallions.
Quinoa is not a grain, but rather a seed from an annual plant first cultivated 5,000 years ago by the Incas. It has high protein content and contains all the essential amino acids. To remove the natural bitter coating that protects quinoa seeds from insects and foraging birds, before cooking, rinse in a sieve until the water runs clear.
Yields about 7 cups
Serves 6
Time: 45 minutes
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
½ teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup chopped green olives
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2 tablespoons chopped preserved lemon peel (see here), or 1 tablespoon lemon zest
¼ cup chopped scallions
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Put the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and thoroughly rinse under cool water to remove any bitter residue. Drain well. In a small saucepan, bring the 2 cups water and salt to a boil. Add the quinoa and simmer for 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and the grains of quinoa are soft. Remove from the heat, place a tea towel over the saucepan, and set aside to steam for 10 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy skillet. Add half the garlic and sizzle, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Stir in the coriander and cumin and cook for another minute. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring constantly, until they are warm and coated with the spices. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the apricots, olives, celery, preserved lemon, scallions, dill, mint, and cilantro. Set aside.
Whisk together the lemon juice, remaining garlic, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, and a pinch of salt.
When the quinoa has steamed, fluff the grains with a fork and add to the apricots and herbs. Stir in the lemon-olive oil dressing and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with Roasted Winter Squash Agrodolce, or Spice-Crusted Roasted Carrots with Harissa-Yogurt Sauce.