Qunioa is one of those grains that have have become very popular lately because of it’s health benefits: it’s gluten free, high in fiber and protein (it’s actually a complete protein), and cholesterol-free, but it also has a great texture and taste, and can soak up other flavors quite well. Here I mix cooked quinoa with a herb “sauce” and serve it with some sauteed asparagus and pan- roasted halibut
Herbed Quinoa
This quinoa would also go great with other proteins such as chicken, fish, or steak, or just mix it with some tomatoes, cucumbers and feta for a take on a tabboulleh salad
4 cups cooked quinoa (about 2 cups uncooked)
1 bunch curly parley, roughly chopped
1 cup chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 lemon, zested
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp chicken or vegetable broth
2 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper
~1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (optional)
- I just like the butter because it adds richness to the mouthfeel, but you can easily leave it out. If you’re mixing the quinoa into a cold salad, I would leave it out
– Combine herbs, garlic, lemon juice, chicken broth, and soy sauce in a food processor. Pulse till evenly mixed
– With food processor running, drizzle in olive oil and melted butter, scraping down the sides every so often, so it forms a smooth consistency. You want the texture to be quite loose- somewhere between a pesto and vinaigrette
– Season liberally with salt and pepper, as this is the only seasoning the quinoa will have on it
– If the quinoa is cold, re-heat before mixing the sauce onto it, otherwise the butter may solidify. Mix to coat quinoa evenly and serve
Pan Roasted Halibut with Brown-Butter Caper Pan Sauce(4 servings)
This sauce goes well with pretty much any white fish: rock fish, cod, halibut, swordfish..so just choose whatever looks freshest at the market
~2 lbs fish, or 4 fillets
1/4 cup butter
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 cup white wine
chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp capers
olives (optional)
- Chopped up olives go great in this simple pan sauce if you have some on hand. I like using green castelvetrano olives if I have them, because they have a nice meaty texture and buttery taste and aren’t too briny
salt and pepper
– Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook fish as you normally would, but remove it from the pan a few minutes before it is done and set aside
– Add butter and smashed garlic to the pan and cook until butter is browned. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan and add wine to deglaze
– If the wine immediately evaporates add enough stock to form a sauce. Add in capers and chopped olives and adjust seasoning if necessary
-Return fish and any juices to the pan cook fish for another 2-3 minutes to finish them off before serving. Spoon sauce over fish
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