This salad is a delightful union of many of my favourite ingredients. I love the nutty taste and chewy texture of quinoa and it’s a great carrier for other flavours. This recipe is full of crunch and punch, thanks to the almonds, lots of fresh herbs and a zesty lemony dressing. The real trick is to try and chop the ingredients quite small so you get a bit of everything in each mouthful. I usually serve this with lamb, but it’s also great with fish and pork. With summer just around the corner and barbeque season upon us, I’m sure this is going to be the salad of the season.
What you’ll need
1 cup (180 grams) white organic quinoa
1 telegraph or continental cucumber, finely diced
¾ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
¾ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
¾ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 cup (100 grams) Sicilian green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
½ cup (65 grams) baby capers in brine, drained
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 green chilli, finely chopped (optional)
½ cup (70 grams) roasted almonds, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
Dressing
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, finely zested and squeezed of its juice (¼ cup)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
What to do:
Cook the quinoa in salted boiling water in a medium-sized saucepan for 12 minutes or until cooked. Drain in a fine sieve until all excess water has been removed. Set aside.
To make the dressing, mix together the garlic, lemon zest and juice and the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, mix together all of the salad ingredients with the dressing. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serves 4 – 6
Recipe, photo and styling by Karen McFarlane
