Quinoa Pilaf with Wilted Spinach and Roasted Mushrooms
Jessica Braider
This delightful dish isn’t quite kid-friendly enough for The Scramble newsletter but it makes a wonderful side dish for a grown-up party or a main course for lunch.
2portobello mushroom capsstems and gills removed, and cut into quarters
½ red onioncut into 3 thick slices
8oz. cherry tomatoes
1½cupsquinoa
½ tsp. saltplus additional for serving
1/8tsp. black pepperfor serving
6 - 9oz.baby spinach
¼cupfresh flat leaf parsleychopped
¼ – ½cupfeta or shredded Parmesan cheeseto taste
Instructions
Preheat the broiler, setting the rack about 4 inches from the heating element.
In a measuring cup, whisk together the oil and vinegar.
In a large serving bowl, toss the mushrooms and onions gently with the oil and vinegar mixture, reserving 1/8 cup of the dressing.
Transfer the mushrooms and onions to a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil them for 15 minutes, flipping them once.
After about 10 minutes, add the tomatoes to the baking sheet with the other vegetables and continue broiling them until the tomatoes are softened and the onions and mushrooms are nicely browned.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the quinoa, 3 cups water and the salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
Put the spinach and parsley in the large serving bowl that you used to toss the mushrooms and onions.
When the vegetables and quinoa are done, pour them right on top of the spinach, and toss it to wilt the spinach.
Stir in the reserved oil and vinegar, season it with salt and black pepper, if desired, and top it with the Parmesan cheese. Serve it immediately.