Could not decide what to have for dinner, checked the pantry saw a can of chickpeas and a couple of chorizo sausages in the fridge. So decided to create a middle eastern dish, accompanied by a quinoa salad.
I have heard and read so much about Quinoa the super grain. Not only is it packed full of protein, but, according to Wikipedia, it 'contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source, unusual among plant foods'. Quinoa is also gluten free and considered easy to digest.
Its similar to couscous with a mild vegetal flavour but slightly crunchy. It has a light texture which makes it great for mixing with other ingredients which I was to discover myself. Never having cooked with Quinoa before decided to
give a go and happy with the dish that I dished up.
Chorizo & chorizo ingredients
2 chorizo sliced thickly
1/2 onion finely diced
Can of chickpeas
Can of diced tomatoes
1/2 zucchini sliced and quartered
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder(optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Quinoa salad ingredients
1 cup Quinoa
2 cups chicken stock(home made) or water
1 tbsp slivered almonds(toasted)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
Honey
Butter
1/2 preserved lemon peel, finely sliced
Method
Heat a medium size pan with a little oil, toss the sliced chorizo sausage in the pan and fry once one side is nicely caramelised turn over and do the same, then remove the sausages from the pan and set aside. Put in the onions and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, empty the can of tomatoes with a quarter can of water into the pan with a tsp of cumin and chilli powder(optional) and cook for a few minutes.Turn down the heat a little, and in goes the can of chickpeas,zucchini and the chorizo sausages, cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and again. Season to taste.
Quinoa Salad
From what I have read the rule of thumb for cooking Quinoa is 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of stock or water. Made sure you rinse the quinoa because it can have a bitter residue. Once rinse place in a pot with stock or water and cook for 15 - 17 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Take off from the heat and let it stand, covered for another 5 minutes.
Drizzle a teaspoon of honey into the quinoa with a couple of small knobs of butter and stir in. Toss in the toasted almonds,chopped fresh mint leaves and the preserved lemon peel and gently mixed through.
Serve up and enjoy!!!
As I wrote earlier really happy with the dish, the quinoa salad was a taste sensation sweet, minty and sour from the preserved lemon and it complimented the spiciness of the chorizo's. This is a keeper and will try out different ingredients with quinoa, so stay tuned.
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