I know I offered you a quinoa salad only a few weeks ago, but this one is also so good, and really different. And salads are perfect for warmer weather.
This one combines rocket and roasted carrots with crunchy quinoa tossed with currants and a pomegranate-molasses dressing. The whole thing is topped with crispy ringlets of frizzled leeks. It’s ever so tasty.
Quinoa Salad With Roasted Carrots and Frizzled Leeks
Serves 10
Ingredients
1 leek, trimmed
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying leeks and for serving
salt and pepper
2½ tablespoons lemon juice
2½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses, plus more for serving
1kg carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick coins
2 cups quinoa
⅓ cup dried currants
150g rocket
Preparation
Cut leek in half lengthwise and rinse away any grit. Slice into thin strips. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1/4 inch of olive oil. Add a handful of leeks and fry until golden brown, 15 to 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining leeks.
In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, molasses, 1 teaspoon salt and a large pinch of pepper. Whisk in 3/4 cup oil.
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Spread on one or two large baking sheets so they fit in one layer. Roast carrots, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
While carrots roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add quinoa and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
In a large bowl, toss warm quinoa with currants. Add carrots and half the dressing and toss well. Taste and add dressing or salt (or both) if needed.
In a separate bowl, toss rocket with enough dressing to lightly coat. Spread the rocket on a serving platter and top with the dressed quinoa and the frizzled leeks. Drizzle with more pomegranate molasses and a little olive oil before serving.
(Adapted from New York Times Cooking.)
This week’s recipe is for a really nice carrot and cauliflower soup.
Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup
Serves 4
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
500g carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1½ teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons white miso
1 small cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
a little more olive oil, for serving
smoked paprika, for serving
coarse sea salt, for serving
coriander leaves, chopped, for serving
In a large, dry pot over medium heat, toast coriander seeds for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant and dark golden-brown. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush coarsely.
Return the pot to medium heat. Add the oil and heat until warm. Stir in onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly coloured, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add carrots, crushed coriander seeds, salt and 6 cups water to the pot. Stir in the miso until it dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. You can of course also use a blender.
When you’re ready to serve, stir in the lemon zest and juice, drizzle with a little olive oil, and sprinkle with paprika, sea salt and coriander.
(Recipe adapted from New York Times Cooking.)
This week’s recipe is a delicious roasted veg with Eastern flavours. You can buy fresh curry and Kaffir lime leaves at the Oriental Supermarket on the High Street, Leamington.
Roasted Root Vegetables with Curry Leaves and Lime
serves 4
400g carrots
400g parsnips
400g swede
60 ml olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 teaspoons curry powder
6 Kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
2 stems of curry leaves
4 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
Preheat the oven to 240C.
Peel the carrots and cut them into batons. 6cm x 2 cm is a good size but it doesn’t matter that much; smaller batons will cook more quickly.
Peel the parsnips and cut into similar-sized batons. Ditto the swedes.
Place the vegetables in a roasting tray
Mix the olive oil, 1.5 tablespoons of lime juice, curry powder, salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables. Toss them together to coat.
Roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
Add the lime and curry leaves and roast for a further 10 minutes or so. It’s done when the vegetables are tender and attractively browned.
Remove from the oven, pour over the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of lime juice and serve, garnished with fresh coriander. Yotam recommends accompanying it with some rice.
(Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi, Plenty More.)
This is a new regular feature in the weekly members’ update, suggested by member, Rebecca Earle, and using something from next week’s share list. Thanks for this Rebecca, and I look forward to future, tasty, culinary inspiration from you! :o)
It’s modified from Smitten Kitchen: https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/05/carrot-salad-with-harissa-feta-and-mint/
Carrot Salad with Cumin, Feta and Mint
serves 2-4
400g carrots
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon harissa (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
100g feta, crumbled or chopped into bits
Peel the carrots and grate them into a serving bowl.
Heat the oil in a small pan. Once it is hot sauté the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Pour the mixture over the carrots and mix. Mix in the herbs and the feta. Very yummy.