Last
weekend I was delighted to introduce a lot of people to some yummy rabbit
kebabs, peacock sliders and goat tacos – my wild menu was received with
enthusiasm at the second annual BBQ competition at Ohope Beach. What a day!
After
I finished my cooking demo I was invited to judge the salmon and mystery box
courses – some very delicious food right there. One of the judging criteria was
the “supporting act”; that is the stuff you serve with the star of the show to
really bring out the best in it – to be honest, I never got to give any marks
for this. So today marks the beginning of a series of supporting acts. After a
few weeks you will know your couscous from your quinoa, your wild rice from
your brown rice, and you will have some wonderful recipes to try next time you
need a good supporting act.
Today
we will start with quinoa. Pronounced kee-nwaa, quinoa originated in South
America, and has been consumed by people for between 3 000 and 4 000 years. It
is a rich source (>20% of the Daily value, DV) of the B vitamins thiamine,
riboflavin, vitamin B6, and folate and is a rich source of the dietary minerals
iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. Quinoa is also a good source (10-19% of
DV) of the B vitamins niacin and pantothenic acid, vitamin E, and the dietary
mineral potassium. The pseudo cereal contains a modest amount of calcium, and
thus is useful for vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. It is
gluten-free and considered easy to digest.
Quinoa is easy to prepare and its fluffy texture and slightly
nutty flavour make it an excellent alternative to white rice or couscous. When
cooked, its grains quadruple in size and become almost translucent. It can be
prepared much like rice. It should usually be rinsed or soaked before use to
remove its bitter coating, so check packet instructions. Bring two cups of
water to the boil to one cup of grain, cover, simmer and cook for approximately
15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ should
have a slight bite to it (al dente).
There is so much you can do with this yummy grain to make it a
very memorable supporting act.
Kia makona, Mawera Karetai x
Quinoa
Stuffed Butternut Squash
1
medium butternut squash
olive
oil, for roasting
pinch
dried oregano
150g
Quinoa (cooked)
100g
feta cheese
50g
toasted pine nuts
½
dozen halved chanterelle mushrooms if you can get them, if not, buttons will
do.
1
small carrot, grated (around 50g)
small
bunch chives, snipped
juice
half lemon
1
red pepper, chopped
2
spring onions, chopped
Directions
Heat
the oven to 200C. Halve the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and score the
flesh with a sharp knife.
Arrange
the two halves on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt, sprinkle with dried oregano and cook
for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven, add the chopped peppers and mushrooms to
the tray alongside the squash and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Meanwhile mix the rest of the ingredients. Take the tray out of the oven
and carefully transfer the peppers to the stuffing mix. Stir together and spoon
the filling onto the butternut squash. Return to the oven for 10 mins. Serve.
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