It was our first cookbook gift we received as a couple.
They wrote our names up top - To Pablo + Tanya. I who usually mind when my name is misspelled, didn't mind a bit because I was so thrilled to receive it.
I didn't even know them - his mom's best friend and her husband.
Why would they give us a cookbook?
The first recipe we made turned out to be our favorite from the whole book so far. We haven't tried even half of the recipes yet, and there are some really good ones like the fennel fontina risotto and the eggplant garlic rigatoni. But today I am gifting you this:
Quinoa Salad with Dried Fruits and Pine Nuts
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
salt
6 dried apricots, finely diced
3 scallions, cut into narrow rounds
1/4 cup dried currants, softened in hot water and squeezed dry
3 Tbs finely diced red or yellow bell pepper
3 Tbs pine nuts
Rinse quinoa very well in cold water. Bring water to boil, add salt and quinoa, lower heat and simmer for 10 minute until there is just a bit of resistance in the grain when you bite it. Pour into a strainer and drain.
While the quinoa is cooking, cut up everything and toast the pine nuts in a dry pan on the stovetop.
Make the vinaigrette below by mixing all the top ingredients and then whisking in the olive oils. Then toss the quinoa with the chopped bits and mix in the dressing.
The Vinaigrette
grated zest of a lemon
1Tbs lemon juice
2 tsps finely chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp coriander
salt
2 Tbs light olive oil
2 Tbs extra virgen olive oil
I double this recipe for potlucks. It is beautiful and you can make it even more so by scooping it into a wide bowl lined with pretty lettuce leaves.
It is so good that I could eat the entire dish by myself for dinner and be content.
Thank you Anne and Roger!
