Garlicky Quinoa and Samphire Recipe

Kip — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 14:31:31 +0000

Very simple to make and tasty to eat, this recipe for marsh samphire is perfect for a warm spring or summer evening.

A brief look at samphire

This is a plant of which I’d not heard until very recently. Having never seen it for sale before, I quickly forgot about the existance of this somewhat rare plant, but upon spotting it at London’s Borough Market a couple of weeks ago I quickly grabbed a few handfuls.

Marsh samphire, also known sometimes as glasswort or sea asparagus, is a plant which thrives in saline environments (a halophyte, if you’re into that sort of knowledge). The cactus-like plant can be found along salty marshes and coastal areas in Britain and the USA, and is worth seeking out if you can.

Recipe notes

Astute readers of this blog will have likely noted minimal quantities of salt in the majority of my recipes. When I prepared this marsh samphire dish, I omitted all but a small pinch of salt because samphire is naturally salty. Hence, if you cook with it, I recommend erring on the side of less salt until you first try the end result.

The recipe below prepares enough for two, but as more of a light meal than a substantial plateful. If you want to bulk it up then I suggest upping the quinoa and samphire quantities, and adding a bit more lemon and dill.

Tangy Quinoa with Samphire

Serves two for a light lunch

Ingredients
- 85 g(1/2 cup) quinoa
- 110g marsh samphire
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium purple onion, diced
- Juice of one lemon (Around 45ml or 3 tbsp)
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar or honey substitute
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional but recommended)
- A handfull of freshly chopped parsley
- salt, to taste

Directions/Method
1. Rinse and cook quinoa as directed on packet (a general rule is twice the quantity of water to quinoa, over medium heat for about 15 minutes). While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the other ingredients and set a separate pot of water to boil for the samphire.
2. Pound the garlic and lemon together in a pestle and mortar before adding dill, sweetener, and liquid smoke, if using (you could also use a smoky paprika).
3. Fry the diced onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, until translucent. Turn the heat to low, adding the lemon paste and any salt you wish. Cook for a further minute or two, just to tone down the intensity of the fresh garlic.
4. Meanwhile, add the samphire to the pot of boiling water to blanch for two minutes. Drain and add, along with the quinoa (which, may I remind you, should also be drained first) and parsley, to the onion mix. Stir until the quiona and samphire are coated with the sauce, and serve warm.

Arabic Influenced Quinoa

Kip — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:17:27 +0000

Quinoa is seriously under-valued by so many, and it’s a real shame because it’s a truly divine grain. Fortunately it’s seen for its value in its land of origin, the South American Andes region, where it has been cultivated for some 6,000 years.

Technically a seed rather than a grain, this star food is one of the most complete proteins out there, containing all the amino acids about which those uneducated doctors-cum-[wannabe] nutritionists chide veggies (I’ve been vegetarian for 17 years and I’m still waiting to be hospitalised for malnutrition, as promised by so many).

Recipe Notes

In my pictures you’ll notice I used this recipe as a stuffing for baked peppers. While this was good I suggest using this as a side dish instead. The reason lies with the dill, a mild herb with a flavour easily lost with too much heat. If you intend to oven-bake this quinoa recipe then I suggest serving it with some fresh dill after the baking process is complete.

Why Arabic inspired? The Arabic world’s contribution to the food fusion scene is one which has offered uncomplicated yet inspired results. One reason I adore this region’s food is because its cuisine uses simplicity and general know-how to engineer heaven on a plate. Combine this with a little creativity and your imagination can stretch the basics for miles and miles. For instance pine nuts, dill, and Middle Eastern spices combined with a seed of the gods, an Incan grain fit for kings.

As with many (most?) of my recipes, the ingredient quantities can take some guesswork in measurements, and most certainly have room for experimentation.

Perfect to serve with some new potatoes doused in olive oil or butter, this quinoa is also filling on its own (though you may want to increase the recipe a bit).

Arabic Inspired Quinoa (Vegan)

Makes 1 large serving (or two if served with a side)

Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 75g quinoa + 200 ml water or vegetable stock
- 2 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8-1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- fresh parsely to serve (optional)

Directions/Method
1. Rinse your quinoa and place in a saucepan along with 200ml of water of stock (as a general rule, you want about 2 parts water to one part quinoa). Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are soft.
2. Meanwhile fry the onion in the olive oil on a medium-high heat until just transparent before adding the pine nuts. Continue to fry for about one minute more and add the diced tomato, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin to the pan, plus salt to taste.
3. Remove both the quinoa (drain any excess water away) and the onion mixture from the heat and combine along with the lemon juice and dill.
4. Serve immediately, garnished with some chopped flat leaf parsley if desired. Alternatively refrigerate and serve cold as a salad or the perfect picnic food.