RECIPE: Tobie Puttock’s recipe for Quinoa, Broccoli and Asparagus Salad
Quinoa, Broccoli and Asparagus Salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon
- 1 ? cups of quinoa
- 1 bunch of broccolini
- 1 bunch of asparagus
- Pinch of cumin
- 2 small handfuls of freshly picked mint
- 1 small handful of freshly picked dill
- 1 bulb of fennel
- 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped baby capers
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
Method:
Place the yoghurt into a bowl and season with salt and pepper, chop half of the mint and mix with the yoghurt, place into the fridge until needed.
Toast the quinoa in a heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat for about three minutes while stirring and then add 2 cups of water, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes and then remove the pot from the heat and allow to sit so the quinoa can absorb any remaining liquid.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a clean bowl (uncovered) and allow to cool in the fridge
Remove the tough end of the broccolini and the asparagus and discard. Chop the remainder of the broccolini and asparagus into lengths about 3cm in length and then blanch for 1 minute in boiling salted water, strain, refresh and set aside until needed.
Remove the throngs from the fennel and use a sharp knife to remove the stalks, discard (keeping the throngs). Slice the fennel in half lengthways and then slice the fennel into thin strips, you could also use a potato peeler to get beautiful long strips. Pop the sliced fennel into a bowl with iced water to keep it fresh and crispy.
Pop the quinoa into a bowl together with the broccolini, asparagus, fennel, capers, dill, mint, fennel throngs, pinch of cumin and the zest and juice of one lemon along with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and mix carefully so you don’t bruise the herbs and then have a taste, season carefully with salt and pepper.
Serve the quinoa salad with a big dollop of the yoghurt on top.