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Friday Feast: Quinoa Puttanesca

June 26, 2010 at 12:52 am Leave a comment

I found this recipe on the Post Punk Kitchen Blog, and I knew I just had to try it! I’m all for figuring out new ways to eat ‘alternative’ grains, and quinoa is such a good one, since it’s a complete protein and gluten free. (I like to keep my gluten down.)

This recipe includes wine. Remember, when cooking with wine, the flavour intensifies, so choose a wine you like to drink.

I tweaked the recipe slightly – slightly increased the tomato, added sun-dried tomatoes and roasted capsicum, and reduced the capers – but otherwise it is the same thing. The taste of the olives and capers comes through strongly, so if you don’t like them (yes Mum, this would be you), then this dish would not be something I’d recommend. However, if you love the taste, as I do, then it’s fabulous.

I was surprised by how spicy (hot) it was. It seemed more like a matriciana than a puttanesca to me, but then it’s been a while, so maybe I’m remembering incorrectly. If you don’t like spicy food (yes Mum, that’s you again), I would suggest reducing or eliminating the crushed red pepper flakes. If, like me, you love spicy food – and I’m a spice wimp, but I still love it – then this is the perfect dish for you!

Quinoa Puttanesca

Quinoa Puttanesca, still hot and steamy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• generous pinch tarragon
• generous pinch marjoram
• 1/4 cup wine (I used white because that’s what was open, but red would work too)
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped (sliced in half is great)
• 1/4 cup capers
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small
• 1/4 cup roasted capsicum, cut into strips
• 600g (21oz) can crushed tomatoes
• black pepper, to taste
• 2 to 3 cups of cooked quinoa*

Method

1. Heat the oil in a good-sized pot over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and stir for about a minute, being careful not to burn it.
3. Add herbs, spices and wine; cook for about a minute.
4. Add olives, capers, crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and roasted capsicum. Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
5. Reserve a few ladelfuls of sauce to put on top of each serving.
6. Mix the quinoa into the remaining sauce in the pot.
7. Serve in individual bowls with a spoonful of the reserved sauce on top. Yum!

I used red quinoa because I thought it matched the sauce better, but you could use white or black quinoa and it would work just the same.

*Note: To cook the quinoa, rinse about a cup of uncooked quinoa to remove any residual bitterness. Put the quinoa in a pot with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the grain is tender and the water has been absorbed.

Entry filed under: Friday Feast. Tags: grain, herbs, recipe, vegetables.