1 cup quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Salt, to taste
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. In a deep large skillet or kitchen pan heat the olive oil over a medium heat until shimmering. Add in the minced garlic and sauté until just golden. Add in the rinsed quinoa stirring constantly until the grains are slightly browned and separated. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat so the liquid is at a simmer and continue to cook until the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Fluff the quinoa with a fork and salt to taste.
Two-step variation for a dryer, fluffier quinoa:
(I think this preparation is best with scarlet quinoa that looks fine without the browning step that is included in the above preparation.)
Rinse thoroughly 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rubbing through to separate the grains. Do this with the quinoa in a sieve that is set in a bowl of cold water. Rinse the quinoa in a couple changes of the water for thorough cleaning and separation.
Boil the quinoa in a 4 quart saucepan with enough water to cover the grains for 10 minutes. Drain the quinoa in a sieve and rinse with cold water. In the same saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a boil. Set the sieve containing the quinoa onto the saucepan being sure the water does not touch the bottom. (If you do not have a sieve that sits on the top of the saucepan, a cheese lined colander will work also.) Cover the quinoa with a thin kitchen towel and lid being sure the edges of the towel are not hanging over so they won’t burn. Steam the quinoa for ten to fifteen minutes until fluffy. Remove the quinoa to a bowl and toss with olive oil and whatever other herbs, spices and vegetables you like. Quinoa can be served hot as a side, or chilled and mixed with a salad or made into a cold dish as you would a pesto pasta.
