This weekend was a journey for us. We weren't sure about going, and then we knew that we had to. As it turns out, my brother and sister came to the same conclusion on their own. So we all gathered at Marilyn and Rich's house to love on our ailing Uncle Reuben.
While the circumstances were sad, it was amazing to see us all gathered around the long table outside. We were four generations of sisters, brothers and cousins enjoying a gorgeously warm summer evening-- eating together, swinging over the stream on a rope, sitting around the fire -- and talking about the love of family, the importance of transitions and of saying goodbye. It was good medicine.
Wow. This is definitely a new favorite! I know I've waxed on about Deborah Madison before (my absolute go-to cookbook is her Vegetarian cooking for Everyone) but this time, she's outdone herself. Pepo gave me Vegetarian suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen for Christmas and I can't believe it took me this long to make this deliciousness. I paired these with roast chicken and a green salad - a perfect Sunday night dinner. The quinoa is so good on its own, I can easily see skipping the peppers altogether. Try it - you'll see what I mean.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch scallions, including 2 inches of the greens, thinly sliced into rounds
2
jalapeño chiles, finely diced, seeded if desired
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups, more or less fresh or frozen white corn kernels (about 2-3 ears)
1 bunch spinach leaves (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled
2 large red onions, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup white wine (can be Riesling)
4 yellow and/or orange bell peppers
1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, then the quinoa. Give it a stir, then cover and simmer over low heat until the grains are tender and reveal their spiral germ, about 15 minutes.
2. Warm half of the oil in a wide skillet. Add the scallions and chiles, cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, corn and spinach along with 2 tablespoons water. When the spinach is wilted, add the cilantro and quinoa. Crumble in the feta, toss everything together. Taste for salt and season with freshly ground pepper.
3. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet. When hot, add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until they start to color around the edges, after several minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, giving the onions a stir as you do so. Season with salt and pepper and distribute in a baking dish (or two) large enough to hold the peppers.
4. Slice the peppers in half lengthwise without removing the tops or stems, then cut out the membranes and seeds. Simmer them in salted water until tender to the touch of a knife but not overly soft, 4-5 minutes, and remove. Fill them with the quinoa salad and set them in the baking dish.
5. Preheat the oven to 400. Drizzle the rest of the oil over the peppers and bake them until heated through (20-30 minutes), then switch the heat to broil and brown the tops. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
