Summer is around the corner – which means long sunny days, abundant amounts of produce at the market and outdoor grilling with family and friends. The idea of having people over for a meal causes instant anxiety for many of us, but I’m all about prepping as much food as possible well before the guests arrive.
Furthermore, I try and keep the menu manageable using recipes that I’m comfortable with Something I continually learn from eating in Italy is that everything, from the salads to the desserts, is simply prepared – and the key is, fresh ingredients. Especially these days with so many individual food restrictions, lemon and olive oil go a long way in taste and simplicity.
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I also use a pinch of controne pepper, my secret weapon, and I can’t wait to share with you
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Below you’ll find a fabulous recipe that will make your entertaining a lot easier, and it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser to boot!
It starts with quinoa. One could say I’m a quinoa expert as I’ve been making it once a week for the past 10 years. Every Monday I make a batch to heap on salads for lunch. I also use it for a quick breakfast with almond milk and fruit. This “super food” is gluten free, high in protein and low in fat. I’m not shy about how I like it cooked – fluffy and dry. Oh, and red quinoa is the only way to go. It looks prettier and tastes better than white. And definitely, do not ever make the black quinoa. I made that mistake a few years back – it takes forever to cook. We don’t have that kind of time!
The other element to this recipe is using a vegetable “in season”. During winter I tend to use butternut squash and pomegranate seeds, in the spring – whatever looks beautiful at my local farmers market. In this case it was purple snap peas. I also cannot resist adding fava beans when they are in season, but they seriously are a time commitment. I will include them in my recipe but you certainly can leave them out. Here’s the best part – the quinoa was made several days before my lunch. A few hours before my guests arrived, I sautéed the snap peas in a pan with olive oil, lemon and a pinch of controne pepper. Poured it over the quinoa, and topped the dish with purple chive blossoms. Done and gorgeous!
A note about the controne pepper. I happened to spy Chris Bianco (Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix) using this in all his dishes. I went online to buy some, and now I’m hooked. It’s a very subtle heat that adds a great flavor. I add a pinch to a lot of what I prepare – from tomato sauce for pasta to fish marinade. I like the Michele Ferrante brand on amazon. Buy it now, thank me later ; )
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 Cup Red Quinoa
- 2 C Water
- 4 C Snap peas or green peas
- 2 C Fava Beans, Fresh or Frozen (optional)
- 1 bunch chives, preferably with the blooms on
- 1/4 C lemon juice
- 1/2 C Olive Oil, plus more to sauté the peas
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Pinch of Controne Pepper (click here to purchase)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse for 30 seconds.
- Place in a saucepan and add water. Bring to a boil.
- Bring the boil down a bit so its boiling, but not vigorously, until all the water has evaporated. Approximately 20 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 4 days. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before the next step. Place in serving bowl.
- Add approximately 2 T of olive oil to the pan, turn on medium high. When the oil is hot, add the peas and sauté just until they are al dente-approximately 4 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together. Add a pinch of control pepper, salt and pepper. Toss the the peas with the lemon dressing. Pour over the quinoa.
- Top with fava beans and chives, to taste.
- Sprinkle flower petals on the top as a finishing touch.
FAVA BEAN RECIPE:
- Peel the pods and place the beans in a bowl.
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Set aside a bowl of ice water
- Once water is boiling, bring to a simmer. Add the beans and cook for 1 minute.
- Drain the beans and add to ice water.
- With a paring knife, slice a bit into the bean, and slip the skin off.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Mix in a small bowl a smaller version of the above dressing. Garlic, 1 1/2 T olive oil, 1 T lemon juice, pinch of control red pepper, salt and pepper.
- Toss With fava beans. Set aside until ready to use.