Yesterday Desmond and I ignored Los Angeles' disappointingly reliable June Gloom to have a picnic in the park with the Godmother. The ladies dined on barbecued tofu and a quinoa salad with little tiny baby swiss chard from the farmers' market on Sunday and corn from the freezer.
I love these little leaves. Aren't they beautiful?
Desmond ate an apricot. My apricot. But the Godmother let me have hers. I think there are few things I love more than a ripe apricot. Apparently the boy agrees.
Early Summer Quinoa Salad
1 c. dry quinoa
Several handfuls of baby greens
About a 1/2 to 3/4 c. corn kernals (fresh would be lovely, but frozen will do)
1 chopped green onion
Dressing:
2 handfuls of basil
juice of one lemon
a splash of orange juice
1/2 serrano chili
a good drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper
Blend until pretty smooth.
To compose:
1. Prepare the quinoa (2 c. water, 1 c. quinoa, cover and cook like rice).
2. If you're using frozen, rinse the corn to at least partially defrost it and remove any potential freezer flavor.
3. Put the greens and corn in a large bowl.
4. Put the hot cooked quinoa over the vege to wilt the greens. (I put a lid over the bowl to help it along while I made the dressing.)
5. Make the dressing by blending igredients until fairly smooth, pour over the salad fixins, top with chopped green onion, toss, and serve. Or take it on a picnic.
