Chef notes
The quinoa in this pretty salad is cooked in vegetable stock instead of water, which is an easy way to give the dish a flavor boost.
Ingredients
- 12 dried figs
- 2 cups quinoa
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see cooks' note, below)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise including part of the green (2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 liter of red wine
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup olive oil
Preparation
Soak the figs. Place the figs in a medium heatproof bowl. Add boiling water to cover; set aside until plump.
Cook the quinoa. Rinse the quinoa in water and drain. Combine the quinoa and stock in a medium saucepan. Bring to boiling over high heat; lower the heat to low, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed — about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.
Mix the salad. Drain the figs in a colander; transfer to a cutting board and cut into quarters. Pour 1/2 cup of the Red Wine Vinaigrette over the quinoa and toss to mix. Add the figs, pine nuts, scallions, mint, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; toss to mix. Taste the salad and add more salt or pepper if you wish.
Cooks' note: To toast pine nuts, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, shaking the pan as needed so the nuts brown evenly, about five minutes.