Mexican Quinoa With Pepita-Cilantro Sauce

Sweet Baboo's Note:

I found this recipe in the December Food Section of the newspaper, highlighted as one of the top recipes of the year. It is from The New Whole Grains Cookbook by Robin Asbell. I absolutely loved it, and couldn't stop eating, long after I was full. I always wash quinoa in five changes of cold water, draining between each wash, to be sure to get the bitter coating off, and use recipe#16399 before cooking any recipe using this grain. If you have pre-toasted quinoa on hand (as I usually do), and buy toasted, unsalted pepitas from the bulk food store (as I usually do), you can make this recipe in the time it takes the quinoa to cook...very fast, delicious, and nutritious.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 6.0 cups

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 cup quinoa , rinsed well (see comments in introduction)
• ½ cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaf
• 2 large garlic cloves , peeled and halved
• ½ jalapeno , seeded, chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 large red bell pepper , diced
• 3 green onions , trimmed, thinly sliced on diagonal
• 1 lime , quartered (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small pot, bring water to boil over high heat. Add quinoa. Return to boil. Reduce heat to lowest setting; cover. Simmer 15 minutes. Water should be absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes to finish steaming. Transfer to a bowl. (I usually cook my quinoa, after toasting, in the microwave with the 1 1/2 cups of boiling water from the kettle, covered, for 12 minutes on medium-low -- about the same time it takes to cook basmati rice in my microwave).
2. Meanwhile in a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast pepitas, shaking pan often, until they begin to pop and are fragrant and just starting to brown, 3-5 minutes.
3. Transfer to food processor or blender. Add cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, salt and cumin. Process, scraping sides frequently, until well-minced. With machine running, gradually add oil, then lime juice, processing until as smooth as possible, and scraping down sides as needed.
4. Stir pepita mixture, bell pepper and onions into quinoa. Stir well.
5. Serve warm. Pass lime wedges separately, if desired.

Reviews

[OCMom1]

I really liked this side. The flavor was different and intriguing (I think it was the pepitas which I've never cooked with before). I rinsed and then toasted the Quinoa and followed all the directions as stated. I ended up using a food chopper so my cilantro mixture didn't get quite the way I expected and the quinoa wasn't green like the picture. Next time I'll try my blender instead.

[Carole13]

I definitely liked this dish! I forgot to buy the jalapeno, so used thai chili instead. It made it spicy, but it was still tasty!

[VegSocialWorker]

We thought this was quite tasty. I served it with corn on the cob and a salad made with avocados, jicima, tomatoes, lime and cilantro. The best part of this dish is the pepita cilantro pesto. I may have to use that sauce again for other dishes. Thanks for posting, I would make this again.