Red Quinoa Salad

I recently picked up a copy of Fine Cooking magazine.  I'm quite addicted to any media that is cooking related, but I have my preferences.  Fine Cooking is a magazine I'm interested in subscribing to as I've picked up four of their monthlies this past year.  All were fabulous and in each one I tried a recipe.  Last night's recipe came from there, but I have some tweaks I'd make for next time.

What attracted me to this recipe was the colors.  It's gorgeous!  The colors are amazing and the health qualities are exceptional.  This can be served as a side dish or as a main salad.  I feel, however, that the original recipe needed some tweaking to mitigate the confusion of flavors presented when cooking this faithfully to the original.  I'll present the original and note where I'd deviate next time.

Quinoa:

• 1 1/2 C Quinoa, I used Red
• 1/2 t Sea Salt
• 2 1/2 C Water

Rinse the quinoa well and drain.  Add to sauce pan with the water and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high then drop to a simmer over medium low until tender with a slight crunch. (approx. 15 minutes)  Drain using a fine sieve and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Caramelized Onions:

• 1 large Red Onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 2 T Olive Oil
• pinch Kosher Salt
• 2 T Balsamic Vinegar

Heat oil over Medium-high in a 12" non-stick skillet.  Stir frequently until onions are soft and begin to brown. (approx 6-8 minutes) Add the Balsamic Vinegar and stir to coat the onions.  Continue to cook until the vinegar has evaporated. (approx 1 min) Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Note: I did not allow to cool to room temperature and added it to the salad right away.  I'm not sure the cooling was necessary as the onions don't have an exceptionally high coefficient of heat to begin with.  As well I didn't let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1 Apple, crisp and tart, 1/2 inch dice
• 4 oz Arugula, thinly sliced - I used Radicchio
• 4 oz Aged Gouda, diced (approx. 1 cup) - I love Gouda, but I think Feta or Goat Cheese would have matched the flavors better
• 3 ribs Celery, diced
• 1 C diced Fennel
• 1 C walnuts, chopped - Next time I'd omit these, which is rare, but I felt they detracted from the tang I was hoping for with the other ingredients.
• 1 C dried cranberries - I used dried cherries

Combine all ingredients along with the onions and quinoa in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Dressing:

• 3 T Olive Oil - Next time I'd use a flavorful Extra Virgin
• 3 T Sherry Vinegar - Next time I'd bump up this ratio further
• Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.  Toss with Salad.

I enjoyed the salad, but it was very heavy to have as a main course.  With the caramelized onions and the vinaigrette I expected more tang, but I think the earthiness of the Gouda and the Walnuts muted that flavor.  That prompted me to suggest feta and possibly amping up the quantity of Vinegar.  Additionally, I think the flavors needed to meld for a bit to combine better which was my fault as I didn't even allow everything to come to room temperature.  As well, possibly putting on a bed of shredded lettuce would lighten up the texture a bit.

This would make a great healthy side salad.  It would take care of your starch and vegetable requirements.  There is very little fat and the majority of it is "good" fat.  There is a tremendous amount of fiber and protein.  Any confusion in flavor is overwhelmed by the enormous health benefits of this combination of fruit, veggies, nuts and grains.

Quinoa is a powerhouse whole grain that I like as an alternative to rice.  I really enjoyed the apple and dried fruit in this salad.  And you have to admit, this dish is stunning to look at.  I'd make this again (with the modifications), but relegate it to a lunch with more lettuce or a side dish.

Note: I've now had this salad for lunch, cold, and it is far better.  I still might swap the Gouda for a different cheese, but the walnuts are no longer a detraction and the tang is right at the level I was hoping it would be.

Enjoy!