Quinoa is a regular in our house now and all the family enjoy it. You can buy it ready-cooked in packets but it’s no trouble to do it yourself, honest, and it’s much cheaper. I like to cook extra while I’m about it and stash some in the fridge for another time yum, yum.
Ingredients
How to Make It
- Rinse the quinoa thoroughly – and if you have time, leave it to soak in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Drain it thoroughly, then put it in a small saucepan. Dry fry and stir until all the moisture has evaporated off and the quinoa starts to smell nutty, then cover it with 150 ml of water and season with salt and pepper. Bring it to the boil, then turn down the heat and cover the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa has unfurled. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the quinoa to stand, covered, until you need it.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the sweetcorn kernels and fry them over a medium to high heat until they’re lightly charred all over. Remove the pan from the heat, tip the sweetcorn into a bowl and leave it to cool.
- Add the chorizo to the same pan – no need to add more oil and fry it on both sides until plenty of fat has rendered out and the rounds are crisp and slightly charred. Drain them on kitchen paper.
- For the dressing, whisk a tablespoon of olive oil with the lime juice, garlic, cumin and smoked paprika and season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the salad, arrange the salad leaves and quinoa on a large serving platter or in boxes if taking the salad to work. Top with the sweetcorn, chorizo and cherry tomatoes. When you’re ready to eat, drizzle over the dressing and add a sprinkling of coriander leaves.