Olive oil | Chef Doru's Blog

This is the second salad we served during our special dinner and one of the best I’ve ever made. It’s a nice companion on any BBQ meat or you can even eat by itself as a snack or light dinner.

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2-3 garlic cloves
250g quinoa
one bunch asparagus
2-3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
salt & pepper to taste
250g halved grape tomatoes
250g sugar snap peas
200g crumbled feta cheese
2tbsp each fresh chopped basil and mint

In a saucepan, bring broth and garlic to a boil. Add quinoa, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approx. 20 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with fork into a large bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, toss asparagus with 1tbsp of olive oil. Place on greased grill over high heat turning occasionally, for about 6 minutes or until slightly charred and tender crisp. Remove to cutting board and chop in large pieces and then add quinoa. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa and stir well to coat. Add tomatoes, sugar snap peas, feta, basil and mint and stir to combine well.

Family dinner-2

Organic tricolor Royal quinoa salad (chefdoru.com)
Crunchy veggie & pineapple quinoa salad with basil (dinneranddirtydishes.com)
Quinoa: The ancient grain of deliciousness (awellwornkitchen.wordpress.com)
Greek Quinoa Salad (cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com)
Southwestern Quinoa Salad (abbykurth.wordpress.com)
Asparagus & Feta Quinoa Salad (hiphostessblog.com)
Quinoa & Beet Salad (breastcanceryogablog.com)
Quinoa Salad (georgiegirltalks.ca)
My Fav Quinoa Salad (thenewmrshamilton.wordpress.com)

As I promised yesterday, I’ll come back with the recipes. The first recipe is a simple mix of beets, beans and herbs. The quantities can be modified based on each person taste.

Ingredients:

250g green beans
3-4 small beets
3-4 red peppers
3 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
salt&pepper
parsley, basil, tarragon and mint

In a saucepan, boil water and then add the beans and steam for 5 minutes and then cut them in half. In the same water, add the beets and boil until cooked through for approx. 40min and cut them in small cubs. Leave both to cool down and start grilling the peppers. I grill them for about 35-40 min on medium heat until tender when pierced and the skin peels off. Cut them in thin strips and add to the beets and beans. In a bid bowl, mixed everything good and add balsamic vinaigrette, lemon juice, salt, pepper and all the fresh herbs.