Crispy quinoa & roasted squash
Whenever we cook grains or pulses we always cook double and use half in a new recipe or simple salad the next day. This dish was imagined thanks to some leftover cooked quinoa. Nutty, nibby, wholesome and comforting - the perfect autumnal grain? We think so.
The quinoa is laced with gentle tagine-inspired spices and flavours - cumin, coriander seeds, garlic and za’atar. The result is a grain mix that’s faintly sweet, heady, flavoursome and fragrant. And when roasted within the squash it takes on even greater complexity as some bits crisp up and char and other parts remain sweet and juicy.
Simple blanched cabbage tossed with olive oil was a great accompaniment, but any seasonal greens will do perfectly. And in the flavour hack department..? Dukkah is without exception the go-to here, with tahini or green tahini a close second. We drizzled our squash with homemade grape molasses to add that vital sweet/sour tang; pomegranate molasses would be great, or even a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar, either way don’t forget a final hit of acidity to sharpen all the flavours.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45-60 mins
This recipe serves 2.
Ingredients:
¾ cup quinoa (or 1 ½ cup cooked quinoa)
1 small/medium red kuri squash or onion squash
1 brown onion
1 stalk celery
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 dried apricots
16 pitted green olives
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp nigella seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp za’atar
To serve:
tahini, or green tahini
grape/pomegranate molasses, squeeze of lemon
greens of your choice
Method:
Start by cooking the quinoa as per the packet’s instructions. And maybe double the quantity for a new recipe tomorrow?!
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Cut the squash around its equator rather than pole to pole, and scrape out the seeds. Toss the seeds and scraggly bits with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous pinch of sea salt. Lightly rub the squash inside and out with oil and season with sea salt. Place both on a roasting tray, spreading the seeds out a little, and roast for 20-30 mins while you prep the filling.
Finely dice the onion and the celery. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan and sauté gently over a medium heat.
Mince or crush the garlic and add this after 5 minutes. Continue stirring and frying gently for a further 5 mins.
In a separate saucepan dry-toast the cumin and coriander seeds over a low heat for 2 minutes, just until fragrant. Allow to cool, then coarsely crush in a pestle and mortar. A little texture is wonderful here.
Add the crushed spices, nigella seeds, chilli flakes and za’atar to the saucepan and stir. If things start to catch add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Halve the green olives and finely dice the dried apricots and add these to the saucepan, as well as the cooked quinoa. Stir well to allow all the flavours to mingle then turn off the heat.
By now the squash will likely have had 20-30 mins. Remove from the oven. Draw the roasted seeds to one side of the tray (or remove if they are looking brown and toasty) then fill the squash with plenty of the flavoursome quinoa mix. Any bits which spill over will become wonderfully crispy so don’t be too neat here.
Return to the oven for 20-25 mins until things are golden and crispy.
Serve with greens of your choice, spoonfuls of creamy tahini, lots of dukkah and a drizzle of something sour or acidity such as grape molasses, pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, or a squeeze of lemon.