V-Day dinner recap, or how I have fallen in love with the Mother Grain of the Incas

Tuesday night I cooked dinner for Valentine’s Day — it’s cheaper and less crowded, everyone. Just wanted to recap.

A year or so ago, I impulsively grabbed a box of quinoa from Trader Joe’s. It had been sitting in my cabinet ever since, because I was a bit intimidated by it (thinking “oh my God what did I get myself into?! I’m totally unfamiliar with Incan cuisine!”). Last week, though, as Fred and I planned a trip to our friendly local wholesaler, we did our best to try to re-claim space. As a result, I volunteered to cook the quinoa.

On the back of the box was the recipe I wound up making for Valentine’s dinner. It turned out to be absolutely wonderful, so I’d like to share it here…

Garlic Chicken Stir-Fry with Quinoa, Peppers, and Basil
• 1 cup quinoa, well-rinsed in cold water or soaked (as appropriate: unprocessed quinoa has a bitter and mildly toxic outer hull that can be removed by soaking, but some commercial brands [including Trader Joe's] already have that hull removed)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 tbsp garlic-flavored olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into one-inch sections
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ~20 leaves fresh basil, finely shredded (do a chiffonade!)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated or shredded Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan, bring quinoa and stock to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. At the end of this time, the quinoa should have little rings throughout: this is the germ of the seed separating from the rest of the seed, and indicates that the quinoa is finished cooking.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil, then sauté chicken until golden brown, ~5 minutes. Add peppers and onion and sauté for another minute or two; then add garlic, salt, and pepper and sauté until peppers are limp. Remove from heat. Toss in basil and cooked quinoa until basil wilts.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately. Serves four or so.

We had this with a light salad and a crisp white wine (a blend of Ugni Blanc and Viognier), and followed it with frozen strawberries with cream dipped in white chocolate. (yes, most of this menu came from Trader Joe’s. and no, I am not affiliated with that company in any way.) Quite lovely, especially by candlelight, and especially with the pink tulips I had surprised him with envased nearby.

Needless to say, I am no longer afraid of quinoa. It’s a piece of cake to prepare and has a lovely texture, almost like al dente couscous. It’s also high in fiber and protein, and triples in volume when cooked so I felt it was a good value. I’ll be cooking it again sometime.

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