Earthy colours and flavours dominate this dish. Autumn-coloured roasted vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, and pine nuts sit atop a mossy earth base of pesto infused black quinoa.
Regular visitors to delectabilia will be familiar with roasted peppers. These are definitely a favourite ingredient. The roasted baby artichokes are less common. Together with the baby carrots, these roasted vegetables deliver a wonderful sweet-savoury combination that sits so well on the nutty, earthy quinoa.
This land themed vegetarian main dish could be appropriately paired with an ocean-themed salad, perhaps as an appetiser. And to follow that, a black quinoa and blueberry dessert does sound rather good.
Quinoa is no stranger to delectabilia. Browse other recipes here, from salads to hearty bakes. Quinoa is a grain originating in South America. It was only recently recognized as a “superfood” with many health benefits. But not only is it healthy, but it is also really delicious. It makes a great substitute for rice, such as with this Thai curry recipe.
What would be an appropriate wine pairing for this quinoa and roasted vegetable dish? An earthy merlot, of course. No question! Update: Try a sake with this dish. Junmai ginjo or junmai daiginjo sakes have intoxicating floral characters, which pair very well with the earthy flavours of this dish. For more on sake pairing, this sake pairing guide is a great resource.
Black quinoa and roasted vegetables
Ingredients
Black quinoa and vegetables
- 1 cup black quinoa uncooked
- 1/4 cup pinenuts
- 1/2 cup cacao nibs optional
- 1 red pepper
- 1 yellow pepper
- 150 g baby carrots
- 6 baby artichokes and/or
- 2 bulbs fennel fennel is a good alternative if you do not like or want to prepare artichokes
- 150 g shimeji mushrooms
Pesto
- 2 cups basil fresh, stems removed
- 1/2 cup pinenuts
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Garnish suggestions
- Edible flowers
- Shaved truffle
- Dill
Instructions
Pesto
- Add the basil leaves, garlic, and pinenuts, to a food processor. Process until finely chopped.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running slowly, or between pulses of the food processor.
- Add the parmesan cheese and pulse briefly.
Black quinoa and vegetables
- Cook the quinoa in the 2 cups of water. I use a rice cooker. So easy.
- Lightly toast the pinenuts.
- Wash, halve, and trim the red and yellow peppers. Smear with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Roast the peppers in a 200 degC oven for 30 minutes.
- Wash the baby carrots, smear with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Add the baby carrots to the oven with the peppers after 15 minutes, as they will need less time.
- When the peppers have finished cooking and cool a little, dice them length ways.
- After removing the peppers and carrots from the oven, increase the heat to 220 deg C.
- If using artichokes, peel, trim, halve, and remove the furry stuff from the centre. Good video here.
- Add a peeled and crushed clove of garlic to the centre of each half, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for 30 minutes.
- If using fennel, dice the fennel bulb and spread on a baking tray. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Set the oven to grill, and grill the fennel until it starts to char, then remove from the oven.
- Trim the chunky base from the mushrooms.
- Add a little oil to a pan and sauté the mushrooms over a medium heat.
Plating and Garnish
- Stir some pesto into the cooked quinoa, just enough to give the black quinoa a nice mossy look.
- Spoon a serving of quinoa pesto on to a plate. Sprinkle with some toasted pinenuts.
- Arrange the vegetables on top of the quinoa.
- Add the edible flowers and/or shaved truffle and/or miniature basilica and/or dill to add to the garden theme.
Kimchi and scallop okonomiyaki recipe
»