After a long day of work and sky rocketing prices at the auctions, I regret to inform you all this all be a short post, however I wanted to make sure to get it in...
So, who is curious about the results?
Well here's the key thing, depending on Madame Quinoa's preparation, there could hypothetically be a place for each of these pairings, trick Marriage Mondays! However if you ask me, there is one clear leader on the whole so lets discuss why that contestant won and the recipe that he won for!
Contestant Number One: Feta -- Unfortunately not our winner in this week's competition, this salty and creamy block of cheesy goodness is best served fresh and cold in a salad or occasionally warm in a simple pasta preparation. However the fresh brininess of this cheese will overwhelm and "over salt" the quinoa making the pairing more about our cheese than about the dainty, crunchiness of the quinoa. This is such a great cheese with crunchy veggies and a nice glass of minerally white wine, stick to that.
Contestant Number Two: Mr. Stink over here is a fantastic mouthful but unfortunately yet again is not the mouthful to pair with Madame Quinoa. Again the cheese will overshadow the delicacy of this grain. However Mr. Stink is an excellent and unusual addition to risottos, if you ask me, so you could stretch our imagination here and make a quinoa risotto preparation utilizing contestant number two but honestly the dish will become more about our lovely Tallegio than about our star, Madame! So, lets stick to her, right?!?!
Therefore, using your powers of deduction, you have been able to gather that, Contestant Number Three has won! Why you may ask? Well, don't fret I have an answer and a recipe to prove it! Primarily I think these two exist in an excellent harmony because not only do they complement one another in terms of heft yet lightness, each has an inherent nuttyness that finds its counterpart in the other. Each becomes its best self when combined with the other -- the key to an excellent long lasting partnership, huh?
A simple warming recipe for those of us who have had a long day and just want to relax and go to bed early! Let's get going!
Start by cooking the quinoa as though you would cook rice on the stove top, in a pot of boiling water. Remove quinoa when it is aldente. While your quinoa is cooking, dice up one butternut squash and toss your small diced pieces into a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes just to get them al dente as well. Next up, dice up some carrots and saute these babies with one chopped garlic clove and some fresh rosemary and thyme. Now combine all of this is an oven safe baking dish with some olive oil, fresh basil, a tablespoon of pumpkin puree (yes I know its out of season and all, but it will add that certain "je ne sais quoi" to the dish!); a little more rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. The final touch on this dish is a nice and healthy amount of thin slices of Uplands Pleasant Ridge Reserve. Bake this orange-tastic dish in the oven for about fifteen minutes on a low heat or till the cheese melts somewhat and gets golden brown, signalling that the rest of the dish has had the pleasure of being infused with the fantastic cheese. Pull out and serve with a fresh simple mixed green salad and a glass of either a medium bodied white or a very light red wine. Great to warm your body from the inside out when you've had a long day or on a lazy cold rainy Sunday afternoon. Enjoy! I guarantee you will enjoy the quinoa! It is fantastic!
No comments:
Post a Comment