LCBO Food & Drink Early Summer 2017

SEASONAL  SALADS ON THE SIDE

In the early days of the quinoa craze, you needed to rinse the uncooked grains repeatedly to remove the saponins, a naturally occurring coating with an un- pleasant soapy flavour. These days most brands pro- cess the quinoa to remove the saponins, and rinsing is no longer necessary, opening the door to toasting the quinoa before cooking, giving the grains a nutty depth. Read the package instructions before you buy, and purchase one that doesn’t indicate washing the quinoa before cooking.

T O A S T E D q U I N O A , B R O C C O L I N I & D A T E S A L A D

1 cup (250 mL) quinoa 2 cups (500 mL) water 1 bunch broccolini ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil, plus extra for brushing

12 pitted dates, chopped 4 green onions, chopped 5 oz (150 g) crumbled sheep’s milk feta 2 cloves garlic ½ cup (125 mL) toasted walnut pieces

½ cup (125 mL) roughly chopped, loosely packed dill ¼ cup (60 mL) roughly chopped, loosely packed parsley ½ tsp (2 mL) salt 2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 Pour dry quinoa into a medium pot and set over medium heat; leave undisturbed until quinoa begins to pop. Stir continuously from this point for about 5 minutes or until quinoa smells distinctly nutty and is noticeably darker. Carefully pour water over (wa- ter will sputter vigorously). Cover and boil for 12 to 14 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove lid and let stand until cooled to room temperature. 2 Meanwhile, heat barbecue to high. Brush broccolini with a little olive oil and grill for 6 to 7 minutes or un- til tender and charred. Remove to a board and cut into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large serving bowl along with the dates, green onion, feta and quinoa. Set aside. 3 Add ¼ cup (60 mL) olive oil, garlic, walnuts, dill, parsley, salt, vinegar and cumin to a food processor; pulse until mixture resembles a chunky pesto. Pour over salad and gently toss to combine. Season to taste with pepper, and adjust salt only if necessary. Serves 6

WHAT TO SERVE  Eastdell Rosé VQA LCBO 560243, $12.95  Black Oak Pale Ale LCBO 422113, 473 mL, $2.95

124  FOOD & DRI NK EARLY SUMMER 2017