John and I made this delicious quinoa* dish over the weekend for the twenty people attending his aunt's seder, and-- if I may toot my own horn-- it was a smash hit. We then ate it again for breakfast and again for dinner, and we're still loving it. In my opinion, that speaks volumes about a dish, if I can eat it for three out of four meals and still blog positively about it at the end.
It's a straight forward recipe, but full disclosure-- there are a lot of steps. Worth every one, I swear, but I just want to be straight with you from the outset.
*There was some uncertainty about whether quinoa was in fact kosher for Passover. After much debate and one speedy google search, it was determined that it was in fact kosher, as well as many other wonderful things-- like highly nutritious, a "complete food", and apparently 2013 was the "International Year of Quinoa." Thank you google. I now know more than I'll ever need to know about the history of quinoa.
According to Melissa Clark of the New York Times, "As for the pomegranate molasses, it's available in specialty shops and online, but if you don’t have it, substitute a good quality balsamic vinegar spiked with a little honey if you like. You can toss together the quinoa, dressing and carrots the day before serving, but don’t add the arugula until the last minute to keep it as fresh and crisp as possible." We couldn't find pomegranate molasses either, so we actually bought pomegranate juice, splashed a little balsamic vinegar into that, and then boiled that concoction on a low-slow-boil for almost an hour until it was nicely reduced. Either way would probably do the trick nicely.
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| Our version actually came out looking like this-- always a reassuring sign! |
INGREDIENTS
- 1 leek, trimmed
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for frying leeks and for serving
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (in my opinion, this needs more lemon juice, but I'm a tart-lovin' gal. Increase quantities as you see fit...
- 2 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, more for serving
- 2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick coins
- 2 cups quinoa (13 ounces)
- 1/3 cup dried currants
- 6 ounces fresh arugula
PREPARATION
- 1.
- Cut leek in half lengthwise and rinse away any grit. Slice thinly. In a small skillet over medium heat, warm 1/4 inch olive oil. Add a handful of leeks and fry until golden brown, 15 to 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Repeat with remaining leeks.
- 2.
- In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, molasses, 1 teaspoon salt and a large pinch of pepper. Whisk in 3/4 cup oil.
- 3.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss carrots with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Spread on one or two large baking sheets so they fit in one layer. Roast carrots, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
- 4.
- While carrots roast, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add quinoa and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain.
- 5.
- In a large bowl, toss warm quinoa with currants. Add carrots and half the dressing and toss well. Taste and add dressing or salt (or both) if needed.
- 6.
- In a separate bowl, toss arugula with enough dressing to lightly coat. (Leftover dressing will last for five days stored in the refrigerator.) Spread arugula on a serving platter. Top with quinoa and the frizzled leeks. Drizzle with more pomegranate molasses and a little olive oil before serving.
- YIELD
- 10 servings
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