Quinoa Puttanesca

Photo by Rachel's Bite, Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 US licensed.

Okay, the picture might now do this dish justice. You wouldn't believe how many wonderful flavors this recips for Quinoa Puttanesca by the wonderful Isa Chandra Moskowitz has! I am a fan of traditional Pasta Puttanesca (a/k/a "pasta of the whore's" which cracks me up), but this is a vegan version made super healthy by serving over quinoa instead of traditional pasta.

It's quick and easy too. The only chopping is for some garlic and olives which doesn't take long at all. And while the recipe is made to serve four, they are really hearty servings. This is one of those dishes that is great to make on a weeknight and then take for leftovers a couple of days during the week. It lasts well for a few days and heats up great in the microwave.

Quinoa Puttanesca Serves 4 2 cups cooked quinoa Sauce 2 tsp. olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tsp. dried thyme 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes A generous pinch of dried tarragon A generous pinch of dried marjoram 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped roughly 1/2 cup capers 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes Freshly ground pepper

Preheat a saucepot over medium heat. Place the oil and garlic in the pot and stir for about a minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the herbs, spices, and wine; cook for about a minute.

Add the olives, capers, and tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes. You can serve by scooping quinoa into individual bowls and pouring the sauce over it. Another way is to just mix everything into a bowl together.

Scarlet Barley with Mushroom & Cannellini Paprikas

I admit that the main reason I made this recipe is so that I could shred a beet. I have had a thing with beets this past fall but so far I have only tackled roasting them. I found the concept of peeling the raw beet and then shredding it and using it as an ingredient intriguing. And when I learned this month's Monthly Mingle theme is "Think Pink" I decided this recipe for Scarlet Barley from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's "Appetite for Reduction" would be a fun contribution.

The Scarlet Barley along with the Mushroom & Cannelini Paprikas came together in about an hour. Shredding the beet for the Scarlet Barley was harder than I thought. I used the shredder on my mandolin and since the beet is naturally hard it was a bit difficult to get a good position for the shredder to shred it. And of course my hands turned all red. But once that was done the rest was simple. And it wasn't too difficult that I wouldn't do it again to use for other recipes if the ingredient is called for.

I prepared this dish prior to an evening appointment and let it sit on the stove for at least two hours before I ate it. Unfortunately I think it lost some flavor. The end result was somewhat bland to me. I think if I would have tried the barley after letting the fresh lemon sit for about 10 minutes it would have been much better.

The next day I sauteed some Swiss chard with green onions and garlic (like the way it is done for the Miso Udon Stir-fry with Greens and Beans recipe) and then threw the leftovers into the pan to reheat. I mixed it all together and after it was plated I squirted on a bit of sriracha. It was a really great combo to be eaten this way!

Scarlet Barley Serves 6 1 tsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced Freshly ground black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1/4 tsp salt 1 beet (about 3/4 pound), grated Juice of 1/2 lemon Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 2-quart pot over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add several pinches of pepper and the bay leaf. Add the barley, broth, and salt; cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling stir and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When most of the water has absorbed, mix in the grated beet. Cook for about 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat, mix in the lemon juice, and taste for salt. Cover and let sit for about 10 mire minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve topped with fresh dill.


Mushroom & Cannellini Paprikas
Serves 4

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dry red cooking wine
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 recipe Scarlet Barley

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onions in the oil until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, pepper, and salt; cook until lots of the moisture has been released, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Add the wine, broth, smoked paprika, and thyme. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a low boil. Boil for about 3 minutes. Lower the heat and add the beans. Cook to heat through, about 4 more minutes. Use a strong fork to lightly mash some of the beans, to thicken the sauce. Just mash a few against the side of the post and then mix 'em back in. Taste for salt and serve.

Serve over Scarlet Barley with plenty of fresh dill.

This month's Monthly Mingle theme is Think Pink and is being hosted by Sarah at Maison Cupcake.