Apple Quinoa Salad
Chef Craig Singer uses a house-made rose harissa--a blend that includes coriander, chiles, and other spices, with dried rose petals--as a seasoning for the salad. You can use regular dried harissa instead. Corn freshly cut from the ear will be best for the relish, but frozen corn makes a decent substitute.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1/2 teaspoon rose harissa or other dried harissa, more to taste
- 1/2 Cosmic Crisp apple, cored and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup diced roasted red pepper
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup diced carrot
- 1/4 cup pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds)
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, divided
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
For Serving
Ingredients
- Preserved lemon aioli or other aioli
- Pickled red onion
- Chile thread
- Rheba cheese (from Tieton Creamery) or other cheese such as Reblochon or Brie
- Edible flowers
Directions
- Put 1 cup of water in a small saucepan and stir in the quinoa with a good pinch of salt. Bring the water just to a boil, stir gently, then add the lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the liquid is fully absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir the quinoa with a fork to fluff, then transfer it to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
- Heat a large heavy skillet, such as cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan, then add the corn with a good pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until lightly charred, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes (frozen corn may need an extra couple of minutes). Add the thyme sprigs and red onion, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the onion is tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer the corn to a medium bowl and stir in the rose harissa. Let cool, then remove the thyme sprigs. Add the apple, roasted red pepper, and green onion, and toss to mix.
- Stir the smoked paprika into the quinoa, then add the carrot, pepitas, 1 tablespoon of the sherry vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Toss well to mix. Add the remaining 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the lime juice to the corn mixture and toss to mix.
- To serve, spread a thin layer of aioli on individual plates. Spoon the quinoa mixture onto the aioli, then spoon the corn salad over the quinoa. Add pickled red onion, chile thread, and edible flowers, with pieces of cheese alongside.
