Quinoa Salad with Pistachios and Cranberries
ID 68750785 © Elena Veselova | Dreamstime.com
Number of Servings
Serves 4
Recipe Source
The New American Olive Oil: Profiles of Artisan Producers and 75 Recipes by Fran Gage ($32.50, Harry N. Abrams, 2009)
Ingredients
Salad
- 1⁄3 cup (1 1⁄2 ounces by weight) pistachio nuts
- 1 cup (6 1⁄4 ounces by weight) quinoa
- 1 1⁄2 cups (12 ounces) water
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 3 scallions, green tops removed, sliced
- 1⁄4 cup (1 1⁄4 ounces by weight) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 1 Tbsp (1⁄2 oz) sherry vinegar
- 1⁄4 tsp sea salt freshly ground pepper
- 4 Tbsp medium extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp water
Directions
- To toast the pistachio nuts, preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the pistachio nuts in a single layer in a small pan and roast until you can just detect their aroma and they are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Let them cool to room temperature, then chop them coarsely. (This can be done ahead.)
- Toast the quinoa in a medium skillet over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until it lightly browns, starts to crackle, and smells a bit toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a pot, add the water and the salt, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the quinoa is soft but still has a little bite, about 15 minutes. The water should be gone.
- Transfer the grain to a bowl and let it cool. Add the pistachio nuts, celery, scallions, and cranberries and toss everything together.
- For the Sherry Vinaigrette, add vinegar, salt and a few grindings of pepper into a small deep bowl. Slowly pour 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil into the bowl, beating constantly with the fork. Beat in the water, then the remaining 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
- Dress the salad with the Sherry Vinaigrette.
- If not serving immediately, refrigerate the salad, but bring it to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Info
488 Calories, 13 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 60 g Carbohydrates, 9 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 8 g Fiber, 23 g Total fat (3 g sat), 331 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Phosphorus, ★★★★ Vitamin B6, ★★★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin K, Folate, Magnesium, ★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin E, Iron, Zinc, ★ Potassium
