Citrusy Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Cucumber, and Almonds INGREDIENTS 1 cup quinoa 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1 teaspoon zest and 1 1/2 tablespoons juice) 1 large shallot, minced 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 Ruby Red grapefruit 1/3 seedless English cucumber (about 1/4 pound), unpeeled and diced small 2 celery stalks, diced small 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds Kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced, for serving Flaked sea salt PREPARATION Rinse the quinoa for 2 to 3 minutes in a fine-mesh strainer, rubbing vigorously. Drain. Heat a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and add a teaspoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the quinoa and cook, stirring to coat the quinoa with olive oil, for 1 minute. (The quinoa may pop, so be prepared to stir right away.) Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit, with a folded dishtowel over the pot lid, for 5 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and spread out the cooked quinoa in an even layer. Let it cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Whisk together the lemon juice, shallot, and sherry vinegar. Slowly stream in the remaining oil while whisking, until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Set aside. To prep the grapefruit, peel away the top and bottom of the grapefruit rind until you can see the flesh. With a sharp knife, peel away all rind and pith along the curve of the grapefruit. Then cut between the white segments and cut out the flesh. Roughly chop the grapefruit segments and set aside. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and add the cucumber, celery, grapefruit, and lemon zest. Add the vinaigrette and toss gently. Fold in the almonds. Taste and adjust the salad to taste with salt and pepper. At serving time, top the salad with the avocado, a sprinkle of flaked sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. This dish will keep in the refrigerator for 1 day in a sealed container.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 01:30:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015