
This pilaf is actually pretty simple to make, but chopping all the vegetables can be time consuming. If you are in a hurry, you could use 2 lbs of mixed frozen diced vegetables and small can of mushrooms in place of chopping all the veggies (with the exception of the onion and garlic). This makes a really large amount -- enough to serve 4 -5 really hungry people as a main course. Or it makes a great side dish to serve a crowd or take to a potluck.
Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup red wine
1 medium onion diced
8 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
4 stalks of celery diced
2 carrots diced
1/2 of a sweet red bell pepper diced
8 oz of button mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp powdered rosemary
2 more TBS of red wine
3 TBS of organic wheat-freetamari
1/2 tsp black pepper.
2 cups quinoa
3 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup red wine
1 medium onion diced
8 cloves of garlic peeled and finely chopped
4 stalks of celery diced
2 carrots diced
1/2 of a sweet red bell pepper diced
8 oz of button mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp powdered rosemary
2 more TBS of red wine
3 TBS of organic wheat-freetamari
1/2 tsp black pepper.
Directions:
- Place the quinoa into a large bowl, cover with water and swish around a few times, then drain through a fine-mesh strainer. Do this several times until the water runs clear. Transfer drained quinoa to a 2 quart covered pot and add the 3 1/2 cups of water and cover. Bring it to a boil on high. Once it's boiling rapidly turn heat to low, cover and simmer about ten minutes -- until the water is gone and the quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from heat and let rest covered.
- While the quinoa is cooking, wash and chop the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
- Place the 1/2 cup of wine, onion and garlic into a large skillet and simmer on high until onion is soft and the wine just about gone. Then add the celery, carrots, sweet pepper, and mushrooms, cover and continue simmering on high -- removing the lid every few minutes to stir the vegetables so that they don't stick. Cook until the mushrooms are shrunken and dark, and the carrots are soft.
- Turn heat to low and add the fresh basil and powdered rosemary, stir well and then carefully stir in the cooked quinoa. Mix the tamari with the 2 TBS of wine and then drizzle this over the quinoa, stir everything well and turn off the heat. sprinkle with the ground black pepper, and serve hot. Some people might appreciate having a bit more tamari to add to this at the table.