The CookingBites recipe challenge: quinoa

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JAS_OH1 said:
I heard it's not hard to grow. I just don't know how easy it would be to harvest.
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Quinoa requires very specific climate conditions. I'm really surprised to hear there is UK quinoa. Most quinoa is grown on plateaus in the Andes (Bolivia and Peru), 12,000 feet above sea level in a cold, and arid climate.

CD
 
I have found that once quinoa has been cooked, it stores well refrigerated. So, I have taken to cooking large batches this early in the challenge and putting the stuff in bowls in the fridge for later use, with no need to cook another batch.

If it sits at room temperature, the top will dry and get stiff.
 
flyinglentris said:
I have found that once quinoa has been cooked, it stores well refrigerated. So, I have taken to cooking large batches this early in the challenge and putting the stuff in bowls in the fridge for later use, with no need to cook another batch.

If it sits at room temperature, the top will dry and get stiff.
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My first batch, I made way too much. It does store well in sealed plastic containers, and heats well in the microwave.

I've been making fresh batches for my challenge entries, but much smaller batches. If I have small amounts of leftover quinoa, my dog likes it (and it is safe for pets as long as you rinse the saponin off before cooking).

CD
 
Recipe - Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Quinoa

This is a riff on the Southern US classic, Shrimp and Cheesy Grits. The shrimp are wild caught, Gulf shrimp, seasoned with granulated garlic and cayenne pepper, and pan fried quickly in a blend of olive oil and butter.

The grits... er, Quinoa is blended with fresh grated medium Wisconsin cheddar and Italian ParmReg cheeses, with a little milk to keep it smooth and creamy.

Garnished with fresh cracked pepper and green onions/scallions/chives -- or whatever you call them where you live.

ShrimpCheesyQuinoa01.jpg



CD
 
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Black Bean Quinoa Sliders. I wanted to show you more variations, but I ran out of Swiss cheese (for a mushroom and Swiss) and didn’t feel like making bacon (for bacon and cheddar) after cooking these. Here, I present a bahn mi burger (kimchi, spicy mayo, and cilantro) and a southwest burger (guacamole and pickled jalapeños with salsa). These are rather thick to be sliders - 3 ounces - but I wanted each to be substantial.

Oh, and I decided to grind dry quinoa and use it as a flour to crisp up the surface when I cooked them.
 
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Quinoa Truffle Chicken Nuggets. I decided to use cooked quinoa as a sort of breading for chicken nuggets, and it worked. I fully expected the quinoa to fall off as soon as I took them out of the oven, but it didn’t. The truffle part of the recipe is truffle salt.
 
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I am a quinoa novice. I have scoured the net for recipes. I found contrary instructions for cooking the quinoa. Most recipes call for a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, others call for 1 3/4 or 1 1/2 parts liquid to quinoa. What is your experience and advice? Thank you.
 
ElizabethB said:
I am a quinoa novice. I have scoured the net for recipes. I found contrary instructions for cooking the quinoa. Most recipes call for a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, others call for 1 3/4 or 1 1/2 parts liquid to quinoa. What is your experience and advice? Thank you.
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I use 2 to 1, cook until all water is absorbed, cover the pot and allow it to steam. Covering the pot and steaming causes the quinoa to puff out and that is desirable.

You don't want the quinoa to be mushy and you don't want it to be hard and seed-like. Getting it to puff out is perfect.
 
ElizabethB said:
I am a quinoa novice. I have scoured the net for recipes. I found contrary instructions for cooking the quinoa. Most recipes call for a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to quinoa, others call for 1 3/4 or 1 1/2 parts liquid to quinoa. What is your experience and advice? Thank you.
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I was a novice, too. I went with the package instructions, which called for 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. It worked for me.

CD
 
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