Thyme- Infused Red Quinoa With Lemon- Mustard Black Kale

Category: Side Dishes | Blog URL: http://www.gourmetfury.com/2009/10/steak-love-1-red-quinoa-black-kale/

This recipe was entered in The Foodista Best of Food Blogs Cookbook contest, a compilation of the world’s best food blogs which was published in Fall 2010.

Photo: Melody Fury

Ingredients

2 cups red quinoa

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

2 pounds bunches of kale, aprox 1.5

1 fennel bulb, white parts only, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/4 cup grainy mustard

1 bunch thyme

Olive Oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preparation

Preparation: Place the quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Initial red and foamy water is normal. Tie the thyme sprigs together with twine. Bring stock to a boil.

Strip the kale leaves from the stalk by grabbing the stalk by the bottom and pulling the leaves towards the tip. Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

In a large pot, sweat the fennel on medium heat with the garlic in some olive oil. When the fennel is tender, add the quinoa and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Add the hot stock, 2 tsp. of salt, and thyme bundle, cover with a lid, and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

The quinoa is done when all the liquid is absorbed and little white curls are released. When ready, remove the thyme, fluff through with a fork, cover, and keep warm.

In a deep skillet, heat up some olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the kale in by handfuls and welt it down for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Unlike other leafy greens, kale does not release much liquid.)

When the kale is tender, stir in the mustard and lemon zest and juice and it into the warm quinoa.

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About

The lemon’s floral tartness and the mustard’s acidic heat counterbalances with the kale’s slight bitterness. The sweet fennel provides creamy texture and accentuates the thyme’s perfume.

For those unfamiliar with quinoa, it is an ancient crop originally cultivated in South America. The grains are actually seeds and are very high in protein and fiber and is also gluten-free. Yellow quinoa works just as well here but reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes.