Mushroom quinoa

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250g quinoa
• 250 g mushrooms
• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 piece(s) butter or vegetable margarine
• ½ g saffron threads, if desired
• salt and pepper
• e.g. basil or coriander leaves
• n. B. water
• 1 shot of white wine
• possibly Parmesan or cheese substitute

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Fusion cuisine from the Andes and the Alps

Heat approximately 500 ml of water in a saucepan (more is better, just to be on the safe side—it’s better to end up with too much hot water than too little). Peel the onion and garlic, dice the onion and slice the garlic. Clean and slice the mushrooms. Rinse the quinoa several times in a fine-mesh sieve with clean water to remove any bitterness, and let it drain. Then briefly roast it in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Deglaze with a splash of white wine and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Meanwhile, the water in the second saucepan should be boiling; reduce the heat. Gradually add the hot water to the quinoa (2-3 ladles full at a time, then another 2-3 ladles when the liquid is completely absorbed). Continue until the quinoa has burst open but is still firm to the bite (10-15 minutes, follow the package instructions). The quinoa shouldn’t be too dry; if necessary, add a ladleful of water to allow it to swell. Remove the quinoa from the heat, season with salt and pepper, and let it swell further. While the quinoa is swell, sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil in a pan until translucent, then add the mushrooms, cover, and sauté until the mushrooms have significantly reduced in size and are browned. Mix the mushroom mixture with the quinoa, stir 1 knob of butter or margarine into the quinoa, sprinkle with chopped basil (cilantro works well, if you like), and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan, another cheese, or cheese substitute (e.g., nut and nutritional yeast mix), if desired. If you want to prepare the dish with saffron (it adds a special flavor and a beautiful yellow color), grind the saffron threads and dissolve them in a ladle with a little hot water until the water turns yellow. Then stir into the finished quinoa (do not boil).