Quinoa Simmered with Fennel and Wild Mushrooms
- Yield: servings
Ingredients
- 2 1/2cups vegetable stock
- 1/2teaspoon anise seeds
- 2ounces dried porcini or other wild mushrooms
- 2tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2cups chopped kale leaves
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 2tablespoons butter
- 1cup frozen green peas, thawed
- 2tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 2tablespoons hazelnut oil
Instructions
1. In a saucepan, combine vegetable stock and anise seeds and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and keep stock hot.
2. In a heatproof bowl, cover dried mushrooms with boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
3. In another large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and fennel and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in quinoa until well coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in enough of the hot stock to cover quinoa. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often and adding more stock, 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) at a time, as previous addition is absorbed. Cook, adding stock, until quinoa is almost tender, about 20 minutes in total.
5. Meanwhile, in a pot of boiling salted water, boil kale until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
6. In a skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
7. Drain mushrooms and pat dry. In same skillet, melt butter over low heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until starting to brown (do not let them dry out).
8. Stir kale, bell pepper, mushrooms, peas, parsley and hazelnut oil into quinoa. Simmer, stirring, until vegetables are hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Variation: The quinoa in this recipe can be replaced by millet.
Excerpted from The Vegetarian Kitchen Table Cookbook by Igor Brotto and Olivier Guiriec © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.