Recipe: Quinoa with Peppers, Capers & Smoked Salmon

Monday, October 1, 2012


I've been doing a bit of "blog-keeping", you know, deleting old draft posts, checking up on links and adding a few more, replying to comments (I cannot believe that I have comments, from actual people !!! thank you all so much !!!) and I found this little beauty tacked between a couple of unpublished ramblings. Those I deleted, they were hopeless, but this one, I have to publish. Actually, I feel sorry that I did not do it earlier. It was such a lovely dish! 
Back in July, I was supposed to cook and post a recipe for Lemon Barley Pilaf for the "French Fridays with Dorie" cooking group. Barley I cannot have, ah...you know, because of gluten, so I thought  that I will make the pilaf with quinoa. Everything was ready in my kitchen, water boiling, quinoa weighted and waiting to be boiled and then I received a text message from a friend inviting me to have lunch with her. I could not say no so I boiled the quinoa, left everything as it was (yes I switched off the gas - this is not this type of story :) and went out to lunch. I mean how long can lunch be? Well that one was quite long, 5 hours to be precise. We started with a salad and a glass of chilled Malvazia at our favourite lunch spot in Zagreb, Lari & Penati, then one glass led to another, they eventually turned into not one but 4 bottles of amazing refreshing wine. Another friend joined us and Georgie came to fetch me home but stayed and helped us finish off our forth bottle. By the time we returned home I was pleasantly intoxicated by the wine and in desperate need of dinner!  I had cooked quinoa though, the perfect base for a cold salad. I sautéed a small onion with a red pepper, added two tablespoons of capers and made a super quick basil and lime oil dressing. When everything cooled down I added a few slices of smoked salmon. It was perfect! I don't remember why I did not post this as that week's entry for FFwD. I guess I thought I changed the recipe too much to count. But reading through the draft today I think it is a shame not to share it. I mean, it's been two months and I still remember how yummy it tasted!!!! 
 
Quinoa with Peppers, Capers & Smoked Salmon
Inspired by Dorie Greenspan's "Lemon Barley Pilaf" from her book Around My French Table
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 large red pepper, diced
1 large white onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, washed
150 gr smoked salmon, cut into medium pieces
For the Basil & Lime Oil Dressing
1 lime, juiced and zested
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper
Procedure
In a medium pot boil the quinoa in 1/2 litre of water, until ready. You might need to add a bit more water until it is done. If you do that then strain the excess liquid and fluff up the quinoa with a fork. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil, in medium heat, in a shallow pan and toss in the onion and peppers. Sauté for 5 - 7 minutes until the vegetables soften. Add the capers. Cook for a further 2 minutes and remove from heat.
Mix the quinoa and the vegetables and let them cool before you toss in the smoked salmon.
Drizzle with Basil & Lime Oil Dressing.
For the Basil & Lime Oil Dressing
Put the basil leaves, lime juice and zest in a blender and blend well. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil. You can use more if you like or less. Season with salt and pepper.


8 comments:

  1. It sounds really delicious and so easy too. I also need to do some blog keeping - I have far too many drafts in my folder.

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    1. It is really easy Corina! Just keep in mind that I was positively tipsy when I made this ha ha :)

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  2. Great idea to add smoked salmon and capers! Those last two always taste great together.

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    1. So true! I admit I am sort of addicted to capers (2 huge jars in my fridge) but they complement smoked salmon very well :)

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  3. It sounds delicious. Quinoa is such a versatile grain and goes well with many things. I think salmon and capers would be perfect with it.

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  4. Our new healthy food choice, we are really enjoying all the dishes we are finding with quinoa. Thanks for your recipe to try.

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  5. I've been seeing quite a lot of recipes with quinoa recently so I really should try some soon. This looks delicious!

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