Thursday, March 10, 2011

More Food That Starts With The Letter Q

I kind of feel like quinoa is the new It Food.  I see it everywhere now, like we just invented it. Reminds me of blood oranges back in 2007, though I doubt adding quinoa would improve a martini.  Who knows?  I'm sure there's a restaurant somewhere sprinkling three grains in the bottom of a Quinoa Martini.
I'm totally on board, however, because it is a perfect (healthier!) alternative to rice.  I like to make one-pot dishes that are usually meant to be served over rice.  Except I don't care for rice.  At all.  Ok, I hate rice.  I used to use couscous, but apparently quinoa is much better for me.  Plus it sounds fancy, and I love faux fancy foods.
I learned about quinoa when my bff (The Most Awesome Person in the World) lived with me in 2009 and did a lot of cooking.  She left many mysterious items in the cupboard when she jetted off to Europe, including bags of this grain.  It apparently comes in different colors.  The all-knowing Google taught me how to cook it, and I've not looked back.
Tonight I made a delicious meal in the crock pot.  I quick seared some boneless skinless chicken thighs, about two minutes on each side.


I put them in the crock pot along with onions, carrots, a little butter, garlic, lemon juice, and about a cup of chicken stock. 



I cooked it on high for about four hours, then turned it to low for the last hour and a half.  Just before they were done, I made some quinoa for the bottom of the bowls.  When quinoa is cooked, it grows little tails, like freaky little Darwinian grain.



I had never made chicken thighs before (sheltered, I know) and DUDE THEY WERE SO TENDER.  I have had bad experiences with the crock pot, so i was really surprised.  I might be a slow-cooker convert now.  It makes me look good. 

Actual dinner conversation:

Taste tester 1:  Darlene, this is really good.
Me:  Thank you, that's nice of you to say.
Taste tester 2:  Thanks for making it taste good so we don't have to lie.

Aw. 




The recipe came from here, if you're interested.  You should be interested.  It's really good.

3 comments:

  1. From the Wall Street Journal:

    The quinoa-derived vodka and two liqueurs, the grenadine-like Goji and the Mexican-bean-based Café, are all well-suited to cocktail mixing. Made from a combination of Arabica beans, medium roasted and macerated into spirit, plus organic sugar cane, the latter is also worth sipping solo.From $20 for 375 ml, fairtradespirits.com
    —Charlotte Druckman

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  2. That looks yummy! I wonder if you could even put the quinoa in there with the chicken and let it all cook in the slow cooker? Since quinoa seems to hold up better than your hated rice, it might work!

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